Destiny's Call
by Onna and LivP and XD
Summary: ***COMPLETE!!!*** An unknown magical force has brought Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano and Yahiko into another world. How will they return to the world they are familiar with? KxK Romance in this fic!
1. Another World Opened...

Disclaimer: We don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Final Fantasy 7! Don't sue us!!! We're broke!

Onna here doing the first chapter! This is how things would go. Liv and I will write a chapter alternately. Meaning if I did this chapter, Liv does chapter 2, then I do chapter 3 and so on.

Names are in Japanese format, so last names come before given names.

**********

"Sano! I can't believe you got us lost!" Myoujin Yahiko, a boy with dark spiky hair and red eyes, cried in frustration. 

"Who would have thought that a simple trip to Kyoto would end up like this?" Kamiya Kaoru sighed. She had raven hair pulled back into a ponytail with a blue ribbon that complemented her cerulean eyes. 

"Maa maa, minna! Let's not blame Sano for this," Himura Kenshin, red-haired and violet-eyed, raised his hands in a placatory gesture. 

Sagara Sanosuke, with gravity-defying brown hair and dark eyes, just walked silently, chewing on his fishbone. Yahiko was directly behind him, and in his annoyance swung his shinai at Sano. 

_KEERRAACK!_ The bamboo sword broke as soon as it connected with Sano's head. 

"Itai!" the tall fighter yelped.

"Serves you right, tori-atama!" 

"Oi!" Sano pounced on Yahiko, raising a cloud of dust. 

"Oh no!" Kaoru looked on in exasperation. "We might as well ignore them..."

Kenshin just shook his head as his friends bickered. He tucked his hands back into the sleeves of his gi and resumed walking. 

_Spent 10 years atoning for all my sins... When will I be worthy to..._ his thoughts trailed off as he looked at the pretty girl with the blue ribbon in her hair beside him. He loved her so much, and yet he couldn't bring himself to tell her.

Kenshin was jolted out of his thoughts when Kaoru waved her hand in front of his face. He blinked and turned to Kaoru with a quizzical expression. 

"Daijoubu, Kenshin? You seem to be miles away." 

Kenshin nodded. "Sessha wa daijoubu, Kaoru-dono."

"Hey, watch it!" Yahiko's irate voice resounded. 

"You watch it, Yahiko-chan!" 

"Don't call me CHAN!!!" 

To Kenshin's surprise, the two of them tumbled off the path, grappling at each other. Then they vanished. Kenshin froze in shock. 

"Oro?!" 

"Where'd they go?" Kaoru cried. 

"I don't know. We'd better go check it out." 

As they rushed to where they last saw their friends, Kenshin felt as if he was passing through a wall of water. He grabbed Kaoru's hand firmly to make sure he won't lose her. When the sensation passed, they found themselves in the middle of a large field of some sort. Sanosuke and Yahiko were still fighting with each other, not noticing the change in their surroundings. 

"Would you two quit it already?" Kaoru ordered in irritation. "We're really lost now, don't you see?" 

"WHAT?!" Yahiko and Sano looked around. 

Kenshin looked around, wondering where they were. Greenery stretched out for miles, the calm sun shining on them. He knew they had to find shelter in this new place. A sign then caught his attention.

The sign read... 

_This way to the Chocobo Farm _

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Sessha- Kenshin's way of saying "I"; literally means "this unworthy one".

2. Oro- Kenshin's expression; he uses this at random, usually when confused.

3. Kaoru-dono- the old Japanese way of saying "Kaoru-san" which means "Miss Kaoru".

4. Yahiko-chan- "chan" is usually used for girls and children, which explains why he hates it.

5. Daijoubu- when said as a question, it means "are you all right?"; the usual response is "daijoubu" which means "I'm fine".

6. Sessha wa daijoubu- This unworthy one is fine. 

7. Gi- Japanese traditional shirt for men. 

8. Maa maa- Kenshin's way of saying "calm down".

9. Minna- Everyone

10. Itai- Ouch

11. Tori-atama- Rooster head

12. Oi- Hey 


	2. The First Encounter

The almighty disclaimer: Erm...purty...defensive now, aren't we, Onna, m'dear? :) Anyway! Like she said, RuroKen and FF7 are not created by these beautiful heads. RuroKen is from...that...jumping...shiuwasa was that?? ^^;; Anyway! I think Sony is involved in making RuroKen, too. There's also that Jap guy whose name I fergot. 

Onna: That's Shuiesha Jump, the comic, and Nobuhiro Watsuki, the creator! 

Liv: ANYWAY! 

Final Fantasy 7 here, is created by the all wise Hironobu Sakaguchi who works in Square. Musical director is Nobuo Uematsu and one'ovem directors is Yoshinori Kitase. Now the monster designer is-- aw, heck! ^^;; 

Scroll down to the very end of this piece for the Jap and FF7 terms in case your don't understand. Afraid of spoilers? Don't worry! I made sure there is space between the main story and the terms. :) Enjooooooy! :) 

***** 

Destiny's Call - 2   
By: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

"%^$)ing ^&*%%!!" The Venus Gospel--a very strong spear, struck hard on the Zolom's neck. Blood spurted out of the deep wound causing the gigantic snake to shriek in intense pain. The heavy body fell down with a splash on the swampy ground, blood still gushing out. 

"Ugh!!" 

"Highwind!!" 

Two voices shouted in disgust as the blood mixed swamp water splattered on their bodies. Cid Highwind still has his eyes on the dead Zolom, already standing at ease. _Damned ^%&!_ Knowing there is nothing else to do with it and in the swamp, he turned around, a bit exhausted, and approached his dirty friends. "Sorry." He gave a cheesy smile. 

"Whatever, c'mon. Let's get going." His blond friend walked over to his gold Chocobo and hopped on it. 

Cid hopped onto his blue one. The other friend, the vampire-like one, rode on a black Chocobo. "C'mon now, it's not my fault for getting you people dirty...right, Vin?" He turned to the 'vampire'. 

"Vincent." Vincent Valentine corrected. "Let's forget that. The day is not to be wasted by mere accident." He looked over the other blond friend. "Where do we go, Strife?" 

"Hate t'admit it, but I have no idea." Cloud Strife sighed shaking his bowed head. He patted the gold chocobo lightly and held on it as it waddled a little getting ready to jog. "Giddy!" He called to his chocobo who warked and headed away from the swamps, south from it. He was so deep in thought of where to go next, he didn't notice someone. 

"Yo, Spike!!" A voice called from afar. 

"Huh?" Cloud snapped back to reality. There was a huge man on a chocobo waving at him. "Barret!" He waved back, his chocobo along with Cid's and Vincent's jogging towards the big friend. 

The huge man from afar was Barret Wallace along with Cloud's childhood friend Tifa Lockhart. The Ninja from Wutai, Yuffie Kisaragi was with them. All were on their Chocobos. 

"Where are the others?" Cloud asked finally reaching Barret. His chocobo pulled to an uneasy stop to a stable one. 

"I don't know. Weren't they supposed to be with you?" Tifa asked. 

"I said, split up. Of course they wouldn't be with me." Cloud answered. "Any idea?" 

"Nope, not a thing." 

"What about you, Yuffie?" Cloud asked the 16-year old thief. Though...he expected a sarcastic answer. To his surprise, it wasn't one. 

"Not one, too." Yuffie replied. She heard a howl from a hill behind her. Turning around with her green chocobo, she pointed to what she would call: the humanized wolf. "There!!" 

"Right!" Cloud nodded and smiled. "Giddy!" He commanded his Chocobo once more. The gold ride warked in compliance and set off. Soon, more warks were heard from behind. The earth shook slightly with the heavy feet of the chocobos moving. A red creature awaited for them, still howling. "Heya, buddy. How are ya?" Cloud asked gesturing for his ride to stop. He jumped off his Chocobo and knelt down brushing the fur of the creature. 

"I am well, thank you." Nanaki, better known as Red XIII, replied. "We weren't able to find Sephiroth, though..." 

Cloud sighed and stood up looking around. After the final battle in his head, he had thought Sephiroth was dead. That was until his visit in Mideel... 

_With thoughts of a new threat, Cloud rushed over the crowd around the Lifestream. He was with a villager who had informed him of a 'naked man' lying. When he was nearing, the crowd broke into two revealing a weakened silver haired man._

No!!_ Cloud's mind shouted. He didn't notice he had stopped from his jog. He stared in fear at the trembling stranger...the fiend...the enemy..._

_The one winged angel..._

_"H..." The man grunted, still trembling._

_Cloud was weirded out of what the man had spoken. Why is he trembling? Is it a gesture of intense anger? Mayhaps...a struggle to move?_

_"C, Clou..."_

_"Sir! He's calling you!" The villager who ran with Cloud looked at him. But he was too shocked to face the villager. "Sir! Why don't you talk to him??"_

And what? Get killed??_ Cloud thought. _He's dead...he's dead! I killed him! I defeated him!! He was no more!! 

_But then, why is he here?_

_Cloud tried hard not to gulp...he knew he had to approach him. Starting slowly, his feet got to work. Soon, he was seen kneeling near the man...holding him. "Sephiroth..."_

_"S, Strife..." Sephiroth grunted looking up._

_Cloud wanted to back away now, his blue Mako eyes meeting Sephiroth's aquamarine snake-like ones. But...why? Why didn't he sense any anger? Or violence? What is this?_

_"Impelling...threat...must...warn...fight..." When Sephiroth had said 'fight', he seemed to have the hardest time saying it. It was then, also, that he had fainted with the gasps of many._

_Cloud immediately reached for his wrist and checked the pulse. "...faint...but he can make it." Sephiroth was a strong man. Mere faint pulse will not indicate his upcoming second death. "Get me a cloak and a Chocobo! Hurry!!"_

_"Sir! What are you gonna do??" A woman asked while two villagers rushed off for the things Cloud needed._

_"I'm taking him with me." Cloud looked for the Sephiroth's weapon. _Where's that??_He saw a black streak despite the wide green of the Lifestream not far. _The Masamune!_ His mind called. Before the Lifestream could sweep it away, he had already reached for it and gotten it._

_The sheath looked new...as if the sword was never drawn from it. Cloud grabbed the hilt of the deadly sword and pulled it off the sheath. The dangerous shine and sharpness was still there. His action had caused everyone to gasp. He returned it to the sheath. His right hand moved quickly to take his PHS. His thumb dialed a number. He moved the PHS to his ear waiting for someone to answer the call. "Hello?? CID! Cid, damn it! I need you to get the airship over Mideel Area! Hurry! No questions asked! MOVE IT!!" He ended the connection before the pilot could ask more. _Cid should have no choice but to obey me. 

_"Sir!"_

_Cloud turned around. He grabbed the cloak from an old man and wrapped it around Sephiroth's body. A moan was heard. "It's okay, Sephiroth. I'm taking you to the others now." He turned to many men. "Help me." He stood up. Together with a few helpers, he was able to carry Sephiroth onto the white Chocobo. Cloud made sure he was settled securely before he had commanded the Chocobo to set off._

Doubt was the first thing that filled the AVALANCHE's minds...even after Sephiroth had explained to them of this 'new threat'. Now, Sephiroth sensed a strange phenomenon and flew off. God knows where he is...that was the reason why they are outside in the world now. 

"Cloud," 

"Oh." Cloud turned to the huge stuff toy after he had reminisced. It was Cait Sith who had waved with his huge hand. 

"You okay?" 

Cloud nodded. Behind Cait Sith was a woman on a green chocobo. It made him smile a bit. "Excuse me," He approached the woman looking into her emerald eyes. Upon reaching her, he helped her off the chocobo. "Hey," 

"Hi, Cloud." Aeris Gainsborough greeted sweetly. "Any news?" 

Cloud shook his head returning to seriousness. "Unfortunately." 

"Where shall we head next?" Vincent asked again approaching Cloud with the rest. 

Cloud looked at the darkening skies of Planet. Though it won't point to Sephiroth, they had no choice. It was where the Airship is landed. Also, the closest place to their position. "The Chocobo Ranch. Night is coming." Cloud looked over at his Chocobo and rode on it while the others do so as well. With a slight kick, the Chocobo walked beside Aeris'. "Let's go." 

***** 

The Chocobo ranch isn't far from their position now. _Look at us...a bunch of weirdos riding Chocobos...what the hell..._ He slightly laughed at the thought shaking his bowed head. Laughs were also heard from around. "Huh?" He turned around to his team who looked at him weirdly. 

"What the hell, what??" Barret asked. 

Cloud shook his head returning to his path...but there was still the laugh. 

Or how it looks like...'laugh'. 

"Cloud!" 

Cloud turned to Tifa who pointed across them. He followed Tifa's finger to the most unexpected scene. 

A group of monsters crowded together. 

"They seem to be attacking people!" Red XIII informed while his paws continue to run. That is...if his ears served him right. 

"Sh*t! Vincent! Aeris! C'mon!" Cloud cursed under his breath. He drew his Ultima Weapon--a very huge sword, from his back and called the Chocobo to rush towards the fight. Aeris and Vincent followed next prepared with their weapons being part of Cloud's chosen party. 

***** 

"Kenshin! What now?!" Kaoru looked with fear at the monsters. Sure she had taken care of that cross dresser back in her home with her bokken. But...not THESE things!! There is one that looks like an ostrich, a motorcycle and many more kinds. "What are these?!" 

"Don't worry, Kaoru-dono, I'm right here." Kenshin was prepared, positioned on his fighting stance, his sakabatou ready to kill, not humans but beasts, for his companions, Kaoru most especially. 

"They're gonna eat us!!" Yahiko exclaimed backing away. He had no faith on his weapon and skills anymore. 

"Yahiko no baka!" Kaoru was able to shout despite the fear. This is the perfect opportunity to put his skills to test! Or...maybe it's...a bit too...hard for him... 

"Would you quit whining and be a man?!" Sano complained. He was ready with his fists and feet. "C'mon and get us!!" He challenged the monsters. But before the monsters could move to action, a whirl of wind took place around them. "Wha??" 

"Nanda?!" Kenshin looked at the sky seeing the monsters are taken away. By the sight of such technique, he knew the monsters are dead. He doesn't know how, though... 

"Who the hell??" Sano looked around and saw a man with a strange blond hair, his huge sword pointed to them. "WHOAH!" Sano got back to his fighting stance. This time, he was much more prepared to fight. "Point that huge sword somewhere else!" 

_A sword is what it looks like, at least..._

Cloud silently returned his sword to his back and approached the victims or 'victims'. "You all right?" The closer he came, the more uneasy this...'rooster head' became. He stopped in his steps. "Relax, it was me who sent those monsters away." 

Sano didn't speak, he was browsing in his head the strongest attack he had learned...only to be told to calm down. 

"Maa maa, Sano." Kenshin patted his friend's back. 

"...Che! I'll take you on anytime, kid!" Sano stood straight still facing the weird blond. 

Cloud could only raise an eyebrow. 

"Are you insulting me?!" 

"Sano, daijoubu..." Kenshin said again. 

Sano muttered. 

Kenshin returned his sword to his sheath as he approached Cloud. "We're all right. What was that technique?" 

"Finishing Touch." Cloud replied rather stoically. He heard the sky rumble. Looking up, it was then that he remembered that it was night time. "What luck, rain..." Cloud returned his attention to Kenshin, still wearing a serious face. "Why don't you come with us to the Chocobo Ranch?" 

"Yeah, I think that's a great idea!" Sano punched his right palm with his left fist. Kaoru and Yahiko looked at him strangely. "Ahhh...ore wa...ano..." 

***** 

The wind blew strongly, the night seemed darker, it can be seen through the dimness of the light in the ranch and by the way the lamp hanging on the roof swayed from left to right. By a few people having to share Chocobos, they were able to accommodate the transport of the four. Cloud stood up after feeding his Chocobos with greens. He cleaned his hands patting them on his pants, still looking at his Chocobo. "It's a good thing we were able to reach this place before the thunder hits us." He looked at Kenshin. 

"Hai, I agree." Kenshin nodded. 

"The inn's room is designed for three people. My team and I will sleep elsewhere in the ranch. One of your family will have to sleep with us." Cloud informed Kenshin passing by him. 

_Family..._ The word echoed in Kenshin's head. 

"By the way, we've been talking for so long ever since we met." 

"Oro?" Kenshin turned around to the man who was now near the door. 

"We haven't been introduced." Cloud's back was turned, but his neck was turned in such a way, he could face Kenshin. 

"Oh!" Kenshin acted like he forgot. "Sessha wa Himura Kenshin de gozaru." 

"Another one from Wutai?" Cloud smiled as he approached Kenshin and stretched his hand. The other words, he didn't understand. But he felt like 'Himura' is this man's name. "Am Cloud Strife. Former soldier from the Shinra Army. Leader of the AVALANCHE." 

"Oro?" 

"Oro?" Cloud felt like a question mark appeared above his head. "What?" 

"Oh, nothing." Kenshin shook his head. His hand held Cloud's and shook it. 

"Come in, it's getting cold out here." Cloud turned around lowering his hand and walked towards the Chocobilly's home. He knows Himura is following him. 

***** 

"This is Vincent Valentine, former Turk. Barret Wallace, original leader of the AVALANCHE, Tifa Lockhart, my childhood friend, Cait Sith, a...fortune teller from Gold Saucer, Yuffie Kisaragi, a thief and a ninja, Cid Highwind, our pilot, Aeris Gainsborough, my...*ahem* rescuer...anyway. Lastly, this is Red XIII or Nanaki." Cloud introduced. 

"Hello." Red XIII greeted. 

"Oro?!" Kenshin was surprised as Red XIII spoke. The others with him had shouted. "He can speak?!" 

"This is scary!" Yahiko hid behind the shocked Kaoru who is sitting with Sano, who just fainted. 

"I'm not any ordinary...dog, if you would classify me as one. I am what you see." Red XIII replied. 

"He's a great guy, don't worry." Cloud looked up as he heard thunder...then an electrifying noise...then a cry. A tall figure crashed down the roof and broke the table where he fell. 

"Sephiroth!!" Vincent exclaimed in surprise. 

Sephiroth grunted. He felt hands help him up. "Sorry for being late. I got lost." He rubbed the burnt spot on his leg. "Damn..." He hissed. 

"We were looking for you." 

Sephiroth turned from his leg to Cloud. He sighed shaking his head returning his attention to his wound while he spoke. "I had trouble navigating myself in this Planet." 

Cloud was a bit surprised. "You had trouble?" Though he would have laughed at Sephiroth, now's not the time. 

Sephiroth hated the question. "After our previous confrontation, my mind must have grown...stagnant of my memories." Looking at the younger man again, he saw Kenshin just behind Cloud. "He is?" 

"Himura." Cloud answered. 

"Himura...hmph..." Sephiroth smiled rather mischievously and stood straight. "What a funny name." 

"Himura, this is Sephiroth. I don't know how to describe him...just that he's a very powerful man." 

"Am I supposed to be flattered?" 

"Stop being sarcastic, Sephiroth." 

_Ano...I think it's about time I introduce my friends..._ Kenshin decided while the two people argued. 

- End of Part 2 -   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Jap terms time! :D And this time...Final Fantasy 7 terms!!! XD 

1. %^$)ing ^&*%% (and stuff like that) are obviously swear words! :D (^^;;)   
2. Chocobo - the very handy transport of the Final Fantasy games. It's a huge bird with blue eyes and two feet.   
3. Wutai - it's an oriental town. Kinda like...ummm...Chinatown? ^^;;   
4. Mideel - the town where the outburst of the Lifestream occurred.   
5. Lifestream - a green 'river' where the lives of those who have passed away are contained. It is also where you can hear the 'cry of Planet'. It is said to be responsible of regeneration.   
6. Mako - said to be the very energy/life of the planet.   
7. PHS - a cell phone like thingy.   
8. AVALANCHE - the original team consisting of Jessie (deceased), Biggs (deceased and not from Star Wars), Wedge (deceased and not from Star Wars, too), Barret, Tifa and Cloud is a widely known terrorist group. The bigger one now is consisted of Vincent, Aeris, Yuffie, Cid, Cait Sith, and Red XIII. We refer to them as the AVALANCHE because the people from the original one had asked people to join their group. (Get me? ^^;;)   
9. Bokken - a wooden sword, Kaoru's weapon   
10. Sakabatou - Kenshin's reverse edged sword.   
11. Yahiko no baka! - Stupid Yahiko! (Baka means stupid and no is used to describe the subject...did I get that right? ^^;;)   
12. Nanda?! - What?!   
13. de gozaru- Kenshin's way of saying "desu" or "gozaimasu".   
14. Daijoubu - all right   
15. Finishing Touch - Cloud's level 3.2 limit break. A technique as you RK fans'd call it. :)   
16. Che! - Damn!   
17. Ore wa - me/I; usually used by males. Females use "watashi wa".   
18. Ano... - Ummm...   
19. Hai - Yes   
20. Shinra - A capitalist company that supplies electric to the world through Mako.   
21. Chocobilly - one who cares for the Chocobos.   
22. Sessha wa Himura Kenshin de gozaru. - This unworthy one is Kenshin Himura. It's Kenshin's way of saying 'I am Kenshin Himura' which is supposed to be 'Ore wa Himura Kenshin desu'. (The surname is said before the first name (Himura-- surname Kenshin-- first name).)   
23. Greens - them veggies that Chocobos eat...the only things they eat, anyway.   
24. Gold Saucer - a very famous amusement park in Planet   
25. Planet - the world of Final Fantasy 7. Kinda like our Earth :) 


	3. Introductions

Disclaimer: Again! We don't own them! 

**SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING!!!**

Liv: Spoiler? Didn't it happen in the past? 

Onna: Kenshin's gonna say something incriminating! In case our readers did not watch the OAV or read the manga (comic), we have to keep the spoiler warning up. 

Liv: Ohhhh! 

********** 

"Ano..." Kenshin said, bowing to the group. "Sessha wa Himura Kenshin de gozaru. Just call me Kenshin. I am the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, the Flying Sword to Heaven philosophy." 

"I thought you said his name was Himura, Strife?" Sephiroth turned to Cloud with a slight glare. 

Cloud shrugged innocently. "I'm not supposed to understand their weird language." 

"Watashi wa Kamiya Kaoru," Kaoru said next. "You may call me Kaoru. I am the assistant master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. I am yet to perfect the succession technique my late father taught me." 

"A female swordsman?" Cid said incredulously. "Shouldn't you be back in your home playing housewife?" 

"Cid!" Tifa said indignantly. "You talk as if Yuffie, Aeris and I don't fight with you!" 

Aeris giggled. She turned to Kaoru with a small smile to her face. "What is the philosophy of this... Kamiya Kasshin?" 

Kaoru gave her a proud grin. "To protect without killing." 

Cloud whistled. "Wow! That's a philosophy that's pretty hard to fulfill." 

"My father was able to do it, and I plan to follow in his footsteps." 

Yahiko was next. "I am Myoujin Yahiko, Busu's student. I'd rather be called Yahiko." 

"Busu?" Barret parroted with accent. "What the hell's a 'busu'?" Every time he mentioned 'busu', he said it slowly. 

"YAHIKO NO BAKA!!!" 

"Come on! Doesn't she look ugly to you?" Yahiko grinned. 

"..." Cid's eyes are showing his confusion. 

Kaoru, fuming, grabbed a broom from the corner and began beating the boy to a pulp. "You dare insult your master?!" 

"BUSU!" 

"Yahiko-chan!" 

"Maa maa!" Kenshin cried, pulling Kaoru off Yahiko. 

Tifa gave a short laugh. "Don't worry, Kaoru. I'm sure Kenshin thinks you're pretty." Being the one who often motivates the group, it was pretty expected of her to say that. 

"Oro?!" Kenshin flushed. 

"Anyway! I am her number 1 student, Tokyo samurai!" Yahiko said proudly. 

"You haven't even finished your training..." Kaoru muttered. 

"Ore wa Sagara Sanosuke desu," Sano said, eyeing Cloud warily. "You can call me Sano. I'm Kenshin's constant companion in battles. I fight with the style called Futae no Kiwame, which I will not go into detail." 

"So you guys can fight," Cloud murmured. "Interesting... I'd like to see your sword, Himu- Kenshin." 

Kenshin nodded, unsheathing his sakabatou. Cloud's eyes widened as he observed the blade. The sharp edge was on where the blunt side was supposed to be, and so it was with the blunt edge. 

"Reverse-edged," he said softly. "Kenshin, why a reversed blade?" He studied the sword, moving it slightly to see the different angles. 

"I'll explain later," he said apologetically. Cloud nodded.   
  


Cloud sat on the floor, cleaning his sword when Kenshin came. "Hey, Ken." 

"Hai de gozaru?" 

"You said something about telling me why you carry a reverse blade." 

"Aa," Kenshin nodded, removing his sword from his belt. "I wasn't always carrying this sword. I used to kill, every night, in the streets of Kyoto, where I came from." 

Cloud nodded for him to go on. 

"I was known as Hitokiri Battousai. People say I brought in the new era. But I'm... not proud of what I did, especially after losing someone I loved. When that happened, I continued to give my skills to the cause until it was all over. I threw my sword away and replaced it with this reverse blade. I became a rurouni, a wanderer, trying to atone for my sins. Until Kaoru-dono gave me a home." 

"She gave you, a total stranger, a home?" Cloud asked. 

Kenshin nodded, smiling. "She's so innocent, so trusting. I swore to protect her from the day I met her." 

********** 

Japanese Terms (again): 

1. Rurouni- There is no such word. Nobuhiro Watsuki actually made this word up from playing with a word "ronin" meaning samurai with no master. Rurouni is roughly translated as "wanderer". 

2. Busu- Ugly 

3. Hitokiri Battousai- Battousai the Assassin; Kenshin's alias when he killed. 


	4. Telling My Story

The ultimate disclaimer: *sings* We don't own them~ :D 

For terms, scroll down, anti-spoiler space is provided. Ja! :) 

***** 

Destiny's Call - 4   
By: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

Cloud's head was nodding rather slowly. Though...there were a few things he didn't understand because of the strange language. "...Heh, lucky men, aren't we?" 

"Heh?" Kenshin asked with a blink. "Naze?" 

Cloud didn't understand what that naze meant. "You've met Aeris and Sephiroth." 

"Aa de gozaru." 

"Sephiroth once killed Aeris." 

"Oro?!" 

"Shhh!" Cloud gave Kenshin a smile. Not a very friendly one, he could tell. "You'll wake the others up." 

"A, ano..." 

"Come sit beside me." 

"Hai de gozaru." Kenshin bent his knees and sat on his lower legs watching Cloud clean his sword while explaining. 

"I lost Aeris after she prayed for Holy. Sephiroth came out of nowhere, we only saw him when he had landed from above behind Aeris, his sword through her stomach. That was the loneliest hour I had in my whole life...as if everything was gray...the only people in the world is me, and Sephiroth killing Aeris." 

"Nanda..." Was all Kenshin could say. Somehow, he could relate to Cloud. Only...in Cloud's story, he would be Sephiroth... 

"In the end, I laid Aeris to rest underwater. After Meteor had been defeated...weeks after that... 

_"Huh?" Cloud heard footsteps from outside the old Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim. Vincent, the man who he is sharing home with, was deeply sleeping now. He seemed to be the only one awake in Nibelheim..._

_Or unless Tifa is star gazing again..._

_The footsteps came closer, Cloud was already coming down the lobby when he heard that. He gasped turning to the door when it opened slightly. "Who the hell..."_

_Brown boots moved inside the mansion through the slight opening..._

_Cloud couldn't remember anyone who would do that._

_The boots were drenched, water was dripping from what looked like a dress..._

_A pink dress..._

_"Oh my God..." Cloud whispered to himself when the door opened wider revealing the woman whom the AVALANCHE had lost because of Sephiroth. "Ae...ris..."_

_Aeris was very wet all over, her hair let down. She looked for shelter and warmth in the cold night of Nibelheim. "Hello??" Her voice echoed._

_"Aeris!" That was uncalled for._

_Aeris gasped turning to the stairway. There was Cloud...staring at her...all shocked...but a smile slowly being worn... "Cloud!" It was more like a whisper. Next thing she knew, she had already thrown herself to Cloud's arms who was laughing in joy._

_The door opened wider when a woman wearing skimpy clothes entered the mansion. "Oh my God, Cloud..." Tifa was catching her breath. "I swear I saw a ghost pass by and come in this mansion!" She saw Aeris beside Cloud. "Only it's not a ghost..."_

_There was a pause...then both girls had squealed in delight of meeting each other again. Tifa ran towards Aeris and embraced the old friend tightly._

_The last one to come in the scene was Vincent who was rudely awakened from all the noise that is happening outside._

"Oro...sou desu..." Kenshin uttered. 

"I...I had no idea how Aeris lived. She said Lifestream gave her a second chance to live, she didn't know why as well..." Cloud laughed softly. "What the hell am I babbling here..." He turned to Kenshin. "Get your rest, your family should be waiting for you." 

***** 

The next day was welcomed by the morning warks of the Chocobos. 

"Oi, tori-atama!!" Yahiko called approaching Sano who seemed to be looking somewhere outside the farm. "Whatcha doing, huh?" 

"I swear I saw someone out here." Sano continued to look around. 

"Saw who?" 

"I dunno." 

"A chick?" 

"Yeah..." Sano replied unconsciously. 

Yahiko showed a surprised face. Then a mischievous smile was worn. "I'm gonna tell Baka Kenshin and Busu-chan!!!" 

"Hehhh?!" Sano turned around to Yahiko only to see him running towards the inn. "OI!!!" He called as he chased the boy before he could reach Kenshin. 

***** 

"Heh? A woman?" 

"Outside the ranch?" Kaoru asked after Kenshin. She had to agree it was pretty weird. 

"She looked like a damsel in distress!" Sano said while Yahiko snickered at him. 

"Demo...why would someone like her wander around alone when she knows she is helpless in face of the monsters?" 

Sano shrugged. 

"Ano, Sano..." Kenshin spoke. "Where and when did you see her?" 

"When I woke up, I saw her outside just staring at me. She...kanojo wa...aw, damn! She was very beautiful, I could just stare at her!!" 

"Oro?" 

"Then, next thing I knew, she wasn't there anymore! When I came outside, I couldn't find her!" 

"Ano..." Kenshin thought of a possible reason as to this...phenomenon. But he wasn't from this world. "Maybe we should just ask Kuraudo-san once they're awake." 

***** 

"A random chick in the middle of nowhere?" Cloud raised his brow. "Are you sure?" 

"Or maybe it's another Chocobo you saw out there." Cid kidded and laughed with Barret. 

"Damn! Y'ain't gonna see no chick 'round here, foo!" Barret agreed with Cid. "Ah...what's your name again?" 

"Tori-atama." Yahiko said. 

"Nandeo?!" Sano glared at the laughing Yahiko. 

"Ah...whatever, tori-atama. There's NO way a random chick like that'd come wandering 'round the ranch for trouble! M'be y'were only dreaming, tori." This time, Barret was rather serious. 

"THAT'S SANO!" 

"Oh fine, sure, whatever..." 

"Sano," Kenshin spoke once more. "Bareto-san is right." 

"Bareto?! You make me sound like a burrito!!" Barret protested with the laughs of everyone in his team...except Sephiroth who seemed to be deep in thought. "Can'cha jes' call me Barret??" 

"Gomen nasai, Barret." 

"Ahhh...I'll take that as a yes, anyway..." 

Sano sighed. "Damn...and I thought I saw the girl of my dreams..." 

"Maybe you just saw a mirage, Sano." Kaoru guessed. 

"There are no mirages in this place." Aeris shook her head. "This is too...close to the city to actually have mirages." 

"Wait, wait, wait!" Yahiko interrupted. "In the first place, WHERE are we?" 

Silence reigned for a couple of minutes. Kenshin and his friends just had to turn to Cloud. 

"...The Chocobo Ranch." Cloud answered simply. "Or if you want a more general answer, you're in Planet." 

"Wha??" Sano spoke. "Wait, sure we know we're in a planet--" 

"That's it. The name of this planet is Planet." 

"...This is crazy! Lemme take a break!" Sano threw his hands and walked away from the ranch. 

***** 

"This whole world is crazy! Huge chickens, fighting women...not that Jou-chan is..." Sano trailed off when he heard a woman cry and monsters roar. "Nanda-- doko?!" He turned around and around, the woman wasn't there. "Where are you?!" He rushed to the northwest where he guessed the sound is from. 

"Aiiiiieeeee!!!!" 

"I'm coming!" Sano pulled to a stop seeing a woman pressed against the rocky wall with wolf-like monsters growling at her. 

"Help me!!! Somebody help!!!" 

_It's her!_ Sano could remember the beautiful black hair and sky blue eyes and white dress. 

"Help!!!" 

"Hey!" Sano's voice caused every monster to turn to him. "Why don't you pick on some your own size??" He exchanged glares with the monsters. 

_Ganbatte..._

"Kyaaa!!" Sano charged the group of monsters readying his fist. On the first one that leapt over to him, he smashed his fist on its head. He turned around with a strong kick and attacked the leaping one behind him with an uppercut. 

"Look out!!!" The woman shrieked. 

"Heh?" Sano turned around only to be bitten by the wolf. "Gah!! Baka!" He snarled at the wolf. "You that'd slow me down?! Hya!!" With one strong swing of his left hand, the wolf was thrown away. "And as for you!" Turning around once more, he lifted his left leg and slammed it down on the last monster. 

Then there was short silence... 

The wind blew after the battle, only Sano's breath can be heard. Maybe also his heart. "Huff...huff...itai..." Sano knelt as his left hand held the wound on his right lower arm. 

"A, are you okay??" The woman whom he saved approached him and knelt behind him. 

"Yeah...I'll urk!" Sano wanted to prove his strength to the maiden but something else was in the wound. 

"It's poisoned." The woman's slender hands held Sano's arm checking the wound. 

"Heh...?" Sano turned to the woman. 

The woman faced him with kind eyes. "Thank you for saving me, mighty sir. I'm a healer, allow me to aide you." 

Sano watched the woman tear a strip of cloth from her dress. From the small pocket of her wear, she took out a tiny vial. She opened it gently and settled the cover on the grasses. She spread enough yellow green fluid on the cloth and wrapped it around Sano who hissed in pain. 

"That's okay. It's an antidote. The poison is slow, it wouldn't kill you, don't worry." The woman handed the vial to Sano. "Drink in the rest, then you should heal very quickly." 

"A, ano..." Sano stared at the vial, his left hand moved unconsciously to take the vial. 

"Go on..." 

Sano stared at it for a couple more minutes. Finally, he took a deep breath and drank the antidote all the way while his eyes were shut. The bitter taste filled his throat leaving a rather sour after taste. "M, mazui..." 

"Sano!!!" 

"Heh?" Sano turned around to see his friends along with the talking wolf ran towards him. "Minna!" He waved. He turned around back to the woman. "Heh?" But she was gone. What was left of her was the cover she had settled on the grasses. "Oi! Where are you?" Sano stood up and searched for her. "Hey!" 

"Sano!" 

Sano turned around again to the call of Kenshin. 

"Sano," Kaoru spoke. "Daijoubu desuka?" 

"Daijoubu desu, Jou-chan..." 

Kaoru fumed. "Ungrateful man! I was so worried--" 

"Maa, maa, Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin patted her shoulder. "Maybe Sano really is okay." 

"Demo..." Yahiko pointed to the cloth wrapped around his arm. 

Kaoru gasped. "Sano! What happened??" She held the wound and studied it while the man stuttered. 

"It seems that he was attacked by a monster." Red XIII pawed his way to the wound and sniffed it. "It's a poisonous wound." 

"Oro?!" Kenshin exclaimed. The rest, he did not notice imitated. 

"But there's an antidote on it. He should be fine." 

"Heh," Yahiko spoke. "I guess tori-atama was wise to bring with him an antidote." 

"Shut up, Yahiko-chan..." Sano muttered. 

"DON'T CALL ME CHAN!!!" 

Sano sighed. "Actually, it was the woman I was telling you guys about." 

"Heh??" Yahiko asked. "Hontou ni...?" 

Sano nodded while he held his wound. 

A device made a ringing sound. Everyone looked at where it was coming from. 

"It's my PHS." Red XIII approached Kenshin. "It's hanging around one of my accessories. Take it." 

"Oro..." Kenshin knelt and took the small device. The name of the caller blinked on the blue screen of the silver phone. "Kuraudo-san?" 

"Press the accept button." 

"Oro..." Kenshin complied. 

"Hey! Where are you people??" 

"Cloud!" Red XIII answered. "We found Sano, he's wounded but he'll manage." 

"At least you found him...we're on the Airship now." 

"Airship?" Kenshin asked. 

"We'll pick you up through there." 

Sano's neck bent looking up as a wide shadow was casted on them. "And here they are..." 

"Hey!" Tifa waved while she looked down. "We're throwing over the rope!" 

***** 

"Suuugoi!!!" Yahiko was amused of the interior of this flying house. 

"THIS IS AWESOME!!!" Sano agreed. 

"Everyone, everyone, please, settle down and marvel upon the beauty of the Highwind!" Cid bragged happy that these foreigners loved his Airship. 

"Make yourselves at home, Himura." Cloud smiled at Kenshin. 

Kenshin nodded. "Aa de gozaru." 

Sano and Yahiko were musing over the controls as Cloud watched. Sephiroth approached him from the back with a serious face. "*ahem*" 

"Huh?" Cloud turned around. "Sephiroth..." 

"There's something I need to discuss with you." 

Cloud returned to Kenshin and his family. Seeing that they are very busy supplying their knowledge, he followed Sephiroth in a walk to the balcony. "What is it?" 

"Stay sharp, we're not alone." 

Cloud stopped from his steps as Sephiroth went on. "What?" In their current situation now, WHO would attack them? Shinra? Pathetic... 

Sephiroth turned around and approached Cloud. "The lightning yesterday. The one that hit my leg." 

"Y, yeah?" Cloud looked straight into Sephiroth's eyes. 

"It told me something. There's something about the boy..." 

"Myoujin?" 

"Yes, and--" 

"WHO THE F*CK!!!" 

Cloud turned around immediately. There was a shriek, then a call. 

"Kaoru-dono!!!" 

"It's Kaoru!" Cloud wielded his sword and rushed over to the scene. 

Sephiroth was calm. He was analyzing the scene while hidden under the shadows. 

Cloud pulled to a stop to see Reno holding Kaoru in hostage. "Reno!" 

"We meet again, Cloud!" Reno had on a mischievous smile as he backed off. His right arm was around Kaoru's neck while his left hand held his weapon, the Night Rod. 

"Let her go!" Kenshin snarled, his sakabatou ready. 

"Or else what, Orient??" Reno snickered. "Do you think your weapons could actually hurt me??" 

Kenshin's eyes slowly turned amber. 

"Kenshin!" Yahiko called. 

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" 

"Kenshin!!!" Kaoru shrieked. 

Reno was astonished of the man's great speed, so were the AVALANCHE. To his luck however, he had already readied an attack to Kenshin. His Night Rod was quickly pointed over to Kenshin. A bright twinkle of light approached Kenshin and flashed into a golden translucent pyramid encasing the swordsman. 

"Nanda--oof!" Kenshin's speed was cut short when he hit a wall of some sort. His head moved quickly studying his 'prison'. "Iya! Shimata!!" 

"Try fighting yourself out of there, Orient! As for me." Reno gave Cloud an evil smile. "I'm taking with me my prize." 

"Let her go, Reno. She has nothing to do with this." Cloud answered rather calmly. 

Reno only gave a laugh. He casted his Night Rod over at the controls where three fireballs shot out breaking the windows near it and the machine itself. 

"%*%^%$!!!" Cid shouted. He was ready to attack with his Venus Gospel if Reno had not jumped out of the broken window, pass the burning machines, and onto an Airship. 

"Cid! Get this thing to land!" Cloud commanded. 

"How?! The &%&** controls for that are busted!" 

"You're wise, Cid! Improvise!!" Cloud jogged over to Sephiroth with heavy steps. 

Sephiroth was still there, calmly standing. 

Cloud didn't know why. "S, Sephiroth...Sephiroth!! You saw all that happened there! Why didn't you--" 

"I told you, didn't I?" 

Cloud stopped from his bickering. Through his relation with Sephiroth, the message was sent to him again. 

_Stay sharp, we're not alone._

"You knew all along..." 

Had Sephiroth known...ever since they were in the Chocobo Ranch...? 

- End of Part 4 -   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Jap terms and FF7 terms time!!! XD 

1. Naze? - why?   
2. Aa de gozaru - Yes   
3. Holy - the spell that could stop the destruction of Planet.   
4. Meteor - the summoned spell to destroy Planet.   
5. Shinra Mansion - an old haunted mansion in Nibelheim that holds a lot of secrets and mysteries.   
6. Nibelheim - Tifa and Cloud's hometown, where everything started.   
7. tori-atama - rooster head or something like that   
8. Nandeo - what   
9. demo - but   
10. Kanojo wa - she   
11. gomen nasai - sorry   
12. doko - where   
13. itai - ouch   
14. mazui - bad taste   
15. minna - everyone   
16. jou-chan - little miss   
17. hontou ni? - or simply hontou? means really?   
18. Airship - a vehicle much like the airplane in Final Fantasy. The AVALANCHE's is called the 'Highwind' as it is Cid who created it.   
19. sugoi - great   
20. Night Rod - Reno's weapon. A some sort of stick that is capable of many attacks. (he never leaves without this)   
21. iya - or iie, means no   
22. shimata - shit 

**More stuff to know:**

Those who have read 'A Letter to Aeris Gainsborough' by LGStrife, you should be able to notice something :) In 'A Letter to Aeris Gainsborough', I had written that Tifa gave her house to Cloud and Vincent. :) In this case, Cloud and Vincent lived in the Shinra Mansion after Meteor and Tifa stays in her home. 

And...one more thing... *finds Kenshin's sakabatou attractive* 

Kenshin: Oro? 

Liv: *snatches sakabatou and swallows it* 

Kenshin: OI!!! MY SWORD!!! 

Onna: LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIV!!!!!!!! 


	5. Struggle to Get Away

Disclaimer: It's NOT ours!!! DON'T SUE!!! 

-gets chased by rabid otaku lawyers- I SAID NOT OURS!!! 

Liv: WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!! *reveals huge XD face and swallows otaku lawyers* 

Onna: -eyes bug out- You already swallowed Kenshin's sakabatou! Now you had to swallow lawyers too?! 

Liv: *burp* 

Onna: Never mind... 

Kenshin: Ribu-dono! Give me back my sakabatou! Onegai de gozaru! 

Cloud: *nudges Liv* Go on now, Liv. 

Liv: Awww! *pouts* PTUI! *spits out sakabatou* 

Onna and Kaoru: Ewwwww.... 

Liv: *meekly* sumimasen... 

********** 

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin yelled as he slammed his fist against the walls of the pyramid, horrified as Reno dragged a screaming and kicking Kaoru into the other ship. "KAORU-DONO!!!" 

"Busu! We gotta save her!" Yahiko said, taking his shinai out. 

"NO TIME!!!" Tifa said, panicked. "The Airship is going down! And we gotta get Kenshin out of that pyramid!" 

"^&*&%$^&!!!" Cid cursed as he fought for control over the Airship. 

"No problem!" Yuffie brought out her shuriken. "Stand back, Kenshin!" She rushed forward and did a diagonal slash. The pyramid shook for a moment, then disappeared. Kenshin jumped down, landing on his feet perfectly. 

"HOLD ON, EVERYONE!" Cloud yelled. 

Kenshin held on to a bar on the Airship, grabbing hold of Yahiko's arm. 

"What about Busu?!" Yahiko yelled as the ship began to dive nose first, picking up speed. "We gotta go back for her!" 

"We'll go save her!" Cloud answered. "But we gotta survive first!" 

"Damn straight, Spike-boy!" Sano shouted back.   
  


Kaoru clawed at the arms around her neck, her eyes shooting daggers at the man who took her away. "Yarou!" she spat out. "Let me go!" 

Reno gave her an evil grin. "You're quite a spirited little thing, aren't you? It seems like you could give that red-head the most intense emotions. I have never seen anyone change his battle aura and move so quickly." 

"Kenshin will have your head if you hurt me!" Kaoru said through clenched teeth. 

"Oh, we won't hurt you. At least not yet..." 

_I'm not gonna stay here and be mocked by you!_ Kaoru fumed. _I'm getting out of this place, and nothing will stop me from going back to Kenshin!_

Reno shifted his attention to his pilot, giving him instructions. His hold on her neck relaxed, and Kaoru took her chance. Raising one arm, she rammed him on the stomach, doubling him over. Soldiers began to run towards her, and Kaoru grabbed Reno's arm and threw him against some of his guards, knocking them off their feet. 

"Stupid b*tch!!!" Reno yelled as Kaoru grabbed a stick leaning on the walls of the ship. 

"I'm not just a helpless girl! You all underestimated me!" she said, shouting her battle cry as she leapt into the offensive. The guards, for some reason, refused to draw their guns. _Maybe because I'm a woman,_ she thought with a wry grin, slamming the stick against the heads and arms of some guards. 

Reno, incensed, drew his Night Rod and brought it down to the direction of her head. 

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu!" Kaoru cried, executing the succession technique. She waited a bit before she crossed her wrists. "Hadome!" 

Reno's eyes widened when she caught the Night Rod between her clenched fists. Kaoru smirked before she executed the second half of the technique. 

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu! Hawatari!" Kaoru slipped the back of her hands along on his weapon and, thrusting forward, slammed the shorter half of the stick against Reno's chest. 

Reno fell back with a howl of pain, spitting some blood. 

She kicked a guard away, flinging him towards the pilot. His head slammed against that of the pilot and he slumped in his seat. 

"Sir! We're losing altitude!" one of them cried. 

"Damn it!" Reno said, still coughing up blood. 

This was her chance to get away. She ran towards the door, quickly undoing the locks. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" Reno yelled, rising to chase her. 

She shoved the door open, and jumped. 

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Yarou- Bastard 

Liv: I thought kisama was bastard... 

Onna: They both mean bastard. 

Liv: Ahhh...chi dao! *swallows sakabatou again like a lizard* Mmmm!

Cloud: LIV!! *hits Liv's nape*

Liv: AH! *spits sakabatou*

Kenshin: Oro?! Not again...

2. Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu Hadome/Hawatari- The Kamiya Kasshin succession technique as taught by Kaoru's father. Kaoru, in the manga, could only do Hadome, while Yahiko was able to do both Hadome and Hawatari. This is the reason why Kaoru was called a shihondai (assistant master) was because she never completed her training under her father. For this fic, I made it that Kaoru was able to learn Hawatari by watching Yahiko and doing some practice herself, so Kaoru will finally become a master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. 

Liv: Unfair! 

Cloud: *bonk* 

Liv: Ow *rubs head* 

Onna: ^^;; 


	6. Escape

The wonderful disclaimer: We are mere people who share the possibilities of RK meeting FF7. 

Otaku lawyers: *wrestle inside Liv's stomach* 

Onna: Liv! Spit them out already! 

***** 

Destiny's Call - 6   
By: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

The whole airship was already blinking red. Cid was still struggling to land the Airship safely but the chances are slim. "G*DDAMN THAT RENO!!!" 

"Cid! Try getting us to the water!!!" Cloud shouted. He was holding on the undamaged controls with Aeris and Tifa hanging onto him. 

"&*%$^&!!! I can't even get a &*%&ing good view of wherever the hell we're landing, damn it!!!" 

Sephiroth was holding onto the wall, the speed didn't cause him to panic. Looking up, he saw someone falling. _They should be able to handle themselves._ Decided, he floated on air and flew his way out of the Airship to the falling object. 

***** 

_Baka! Baka! Kaoru no baka!!_ Kaoru scolded herself. Jumping off that Airship was gonna kill her even if she would get away from Reno. _How will I? How will I see Kenshin now??_

There was a bright streak. 

"What?" The next thing Kaoru knew, something had hit her on the back. She could only scream in pain. Soon, the whole world was turning around and she was falling heavily now. To her luck, someone had grabbed her and flown with her to safety. "D, dare..." Kaoru weakly caught a glance of her savior. "S, Sephiroth..." 

The stoic man flew towards the falling Airship. 

Kaoru's mind fought the unconsciousness that was going to envelope her. Unfortunately, she lost. 

***** 

The Airship crashed on the water with a very big splash. Cloud had lost his hold, he didn't have enough time to take a deep breath. _No turning back now._ Cloud looked for the people who were holding onto him awhile ago. Turning around, he saw Tifa swimming towards Cloud while holding Aeris' hand. Tifa's other hand was reaching out for Cloud. Cloud grabbed the hand of the woman and moved his feet swimming towards the surface through the open window. He didn't notice the others. Finally reaching the surface, he gulped a huge amount of air and looked at those he rescued. "You people okay??" 

Tifa and Aeris nodded. 

"Good." Cloud was panting heavily. He swam his way to the grasses where the others helped them up. Soon, everyone was on land. "*huff* *huff* Is everyone in??" 

"Yeah..." For a cat, Cait Sith was brave enough to be able to swim alone. "Except Kaoru..." 

"Speaking of which," Yuffie looked around. "Where's Ken??" 

"Kaoru-dono!!!" 

Everyone turned to the drenched swordsman to their north. 

"That fast, huh?" Was all Tifa could say. 

Cloud excused himself from everyone and jogged his way towards Kenshin. He didn't mind the cold wind blowing. 

Barret watched the rest follow. But he was too busy waiting for Cid. "Hey..." 

The pilot looked solemnly at the crashpoint of the Highwind. 

"Cid..." 

Cid turned around to Barret. 

"I'm sorry...let's go..." 

Cid looked at the crash point again...before he stood up and followed the others. 

***** 

"Kaoru-dono!!!" 

"Himura!" Cloud caught up and touched Kenshin's shoulder. 

"Ikinasai!!" Kenshin snarled shoving Cloud away from him with a punch. 

"Oof!" Cloud fell off his feet and down to the grasslands. Kenshin's call came again as he rushed off. "Damn," He stared at Kenshin as people helped him up while he wiped the blood off his lips. 

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin stopped upon seeing someone flying down to them. 

Sephiroth landed not far from Kenshin and settled the woman on the grasses. The call from the man came again. Next thing he knew, Kenshin was kneeling beside Kaoru. 

"Kaoru-dono!" 

"She's unconscious, she won't hear you." Sephiroth informed. He heard footsteps in front of him and stood up to welcome the AVALANCHE. "I see you had a nice dipping." 

"Shut up." Cloud slowed down. "Where were you?" 

"I saw her falling down. You should be grateful I even cared to save her." 

"Kisama!" Sano cursed. 

"Hey!" Tifa grabbed Sano's shoulder. "If it weren't for him, Kaoru's dead by now!" 

Cloud looked around. "Let's go to the closest inn." Alone, he walked pass Sephiroth and Kenshin. 

"Cloud..." Aeris uttered. 

***** 

The lab door opened revealing a Turk. _That girl sure has moves..._ Reno entered the lab, easy going and in his unruly form as always. "Hey, Prof." 

The professor's back was turned. Busy from all his experiments? "And the woman?" 

"Escaped." Reno reported, his voice fainter. "She's got a hell of a technique." 

The scientist was silent. But soon, he turned around to face the Turk. "How pathetic of you to lose such a weak woman." He mocked as he approached Reno. 

"What?? And you blame me for that??" Reno's objection ended up in a slap. He glared at the scientist while rubbing his cheek. 

"We have a deal, Reno. Get the woman and the man, and you'll be paid handsomely." 

Reno remained silent. 

"Go and look for her." The scientist said dismissing the Turk at the same time by turning around and walking away. 

"Sir, yes, sir..." Reno muttered. 

***** 

"My airship..." Cid uttered faintly. "My hopes...my dreams..." A hand touched his shoulder. He was back in his home where his assistant, Shera, served them cups of tea. 

Cloud sighed. "Cid, there was nothing we could do, anyway." 

Cid didn't speak up. 

Shera sighed. She approached Cid settling the teapot on the table. "I sent some volunteers of Rocket Town to look for the Airship. I assure you, it's nothing beyond repair. With the help of the new Shinra lead by President Reeve, we should be able to fix it rather quickly." 

"The problem is, it was Shinra who shut it down." Cloud spoke. 

Shera looked at Cloud in surprise. "...what?" 

Cloud sighed shrugging. "I dunno. Reno was kidnapping that woman on your bed now when he destroyed the machineries." 

"The Turks..." Vincent spoke. "Always the ones who wreak havoc even without the permission of the government...I must say, Shinra might not be responsible for this." He took a sip of his tea. 

"Then who?" Cloud spoke. "The new director?" 

"In the first place, Strife." Sephiroth spoke leaning against the wall. "Reeve had already demolished the Turks." It lead to the confusion of many. "What I'm trying to say is, someone is devious enough to sneak Reno in the company." 

"But who would want Kaoru?" Aeris asked. 

"Or," Red XIII spoke. "Who knows Kaoru?" 

***** 

"Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin was alone in Shera's room. He was holding Kaoru's hand and at the same time studying every inch of her beauty. "Sessha no aijin..." His other hand moved to touch Kaoru's cheek. To his surprise, the face moved. A moan was heard. 

"Jou-chan!" Sano and Yahiko entered the room. No one knew they were waiting outside. 

"Ooh..." Kaoru's eyes slowly opened. The man she wanted to see was indeed the first one she saw. "Ken...shin..." 

"Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin's hand held Kaoru's tighter. "Daijoubu de gozaru ka?" He whispered. Happiness filled his heart. 

"Yowai..." Kaoru admitted. She felt pathetic in the sight of Kenshin. There was another moan, her eyes closed. 

"Kaoru-dono!" 

"I think she has a slight fever." 

"Hontou...?" Kenshin turned around to the newcomer. "Sh, Shera-dono." 

Shera knelt beside Kaoru and felt her forehead. "She will need her rest. Why don't you spend the night here in Rocket Town? She should be okay, tomorrow." 

Kenshin nodded. "Hai, arigatou de gozaru." 

***** 

That night Sano snuck away from the house and left town. "Where..." He looked around. 

The woman was seen standing on the left side of the town. 

Sano stared and stood for a moment. It was her again, she had come to visit Sano again. "I, it's you..." 

"I know." The woman approached Sano with a kind smile. "How's your wound?" 

"A..." Sano looked at the bandage. Unwrapping it, he was surprised to see the wound closing already. 

"There should be a temporary scar there." The woman held the wound. "But that's okay, right?" She gave Sano a sweet smile. 

"Uh...h, hai..." Sano nodded. "Why have you been waiting for me ever since I came?" 

"Well..." The woman turned around. "I...the first time I saw you, I shied away. But...I couldn't get you out of my head anymore..." She giggled softly. 

A silly smile was worn. "Yeah? Well, I had the same experience." 

"Really?" The blushing woman turned around. 

"Yeah! I thought of you every time...say, what's your name? I'm Sagara Sanosuke. My friends call me Sano for short." 

"Wow, that's a very interesting name...I'm Elizabeth..." The woman said softly. 

"Hey, you don't have to be so shy, we're the only ones here." 

"I...I guess so..." Elizabeth looked into Sano's eyes. 

For a second, Sano felt like he was being drawn in. _Kami-sama...!!_

"Um...can I ask you a question?" 

"Huh?" Sano snapped back to reality. "Sure, what is it?" 

"Who's that younger boy you have with you?" 

"Oh, him? That's Yahiko. He's such a brat." 

Elizabeth giggled. "But he reminds me so much of my younger brother." 

"Really?" Sano smiled at the woman. "How is he?" 

Elizabeth saddened and looked on the grasses. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" 

"He...he died...of cancer..." 

Sano was surprised. He couldn't say anything. 

"Ever since he died, I was alone...my parents died the in Wutai war...so I couldn't support myself anymore I...I had to..." Elizabeth trailed off as she broke into tears. 

"What? What is it?" Sano wanted to hear more. 

"I...I roamed around the city selling my body!" 

Sano gasped. _Shoufu desu!_

"Ever since I started, I felt like every man wanted me! I...I didn't know what to do...every night I had to roam around the streets...ease the pain of being insulted...join a man to bed whether I like or not...show my...body...even if the night is cold..." Elizabeth turned away. "I'm so dirty, Sano...you probably wouldn't want to see me now." 

Sano sighed. "Do...do you need someone to cry on?" 

Elizabeth gasped turning around to Sano with crying eyes. 

Sano opened his arms. 

Elizabeth's lips pressed on each other, in the end she had to throw herself to Sano and cry out all the pain inside her. Her arms were around Sano's muscular body. 

Sano soon closed his arms comforting the woman. 

Between her cries, Elizabeth choked. "You're a very nice man, Sano..." 

"Eh?" Sano loosened his arms when Elizabeth looked up to him. 

"Thank you, Sano...I never met anyone like you in all my life..." 

Sano smiled. "That's okay, Elizabeth...that's okay..." He was about to embrace Elizabeth when the woman gasped and looked at the town. "What is it?" Sano joined the woman in looking. It was only an old man leaving the inn. "Oh..." He returned to Elizabeth but she wasn't there, anymore. "Heh?? Elizabeth!" 

"Quitcha callin', will ya??" 

"Huh?" Sano turned to the old man. 

"Hell are ya doin' out there, huh??" 

"I...uh..." Sano pointed to the fields. "I thought I saw something!" 

"Pfff!" The old man shook his head. "The night sky fools ya, boy! Go get some sleep!" 

"R, right..." Sano scratched his head and made his way back to Shera's house. 

***** 

Upon entering the house, Sano heard noises from the garage. "Eh?" He walked over to the noise and took a peek. 

It was the AVALANCHE meeting in a bonfire. 

"But Sephiroth, think about this." Cloud spoke. "We've been looking for this 'threat' you're talking about for weeks! But there seemed to be nothing wrong!" 

"There IS something wrong!" Sephiroth argued back. 

"Oh sure, like what?" 

"Himura and his family. How did they get here? They are most certainly not from Planet." 

Cloud didn't speak. 

"There is also Reno. Why would he want to take that girl? How did he know her?" 

"Cloud, Sephiroth has a point." Cloud turned to Aeris. 

"And I...I have a bad feeling about this..." Aeris shared. 

"Do you think..." Everyone turned to Vincent. "...that Shinra has something to do with this?" He watched everyone exchange glances. "It could be possible, as so far the very visible threat we have seen is from Shinra." 

"Then we'll leave early tomorrow and head for Midgar." Cloud concluded standing up with the rest of his team. 

"With Himura?" 

"No, we'll leave them here." Cloud said. "We can't get innocent people involved in such a complicated task." 

_Damn! They're leaving us alone??_ Sano thought. 

Cloud turned to the pilot. "How's the Tiny Bronco?" 

"I was able to fix it when we separated ways." Cid answered. 

"Good, Cid will fly while everyone is sleeping and get the Chocobos to Rocket Town. Those who can't cross the water will wait near Fort Condor." Cloud received different answers. "Good night, everyone." He ignored their replies as he headed towards the door. 

_He's coming!_ Sano looked around for a good hiding place. Just in time, he was able to hide under the table as the AVALANCHE walked over to wherever they are sleeping. _I have to tell Kenshin!_

***** 

"Kenshin!" Sano grabbed Kenshin's shoulder and shook him awake. 

"Ororororororo........" Kenshin was stupefied while the shaking went on. "Nandeo?" He whined scratching his head. He was sleeping on a couch inside Kaoru's room. 

"Cloud and his friends! They're leaving us here while they go off to some place named Midgar!" 

"Oro??" Kenshin sat up. In the silence, they both heard footsteps outside. "Nanda?" He got off his couch throwing off the quilt and checked what was happening in the garage through the window. "Cid!" 

***** 

"Damned *^&*, can't even get a decent sleep..." Cid muttered as he made his way to the Tiny Bronco. He opened the door and yawned as he rode the plane. "Let's get this baby running again." He started the engines. 

***** 

"He's leaving!!" Sano freaked out in a silent way. "C'mon!" Quickly yet as much as possible, silently. 

Kenshin was to leave next. But then again, there was Kaoru. Kenshin turned around to look at the lady on bed. _Maybe I should just stay with her while Sano stops Cid...but he needs all the help he can get... _This was a tough decision to make for him. 

Sano re-appeared by the doorframe. "Kenshin!" He whispered impatiently. 

_Iya, I can never leave Kaoru-dono alone anymore.___

"Sano," Kenshin turned to the man. "Go ahead, I'll stay with Kaoru-dono." 

Sano shrugged. "Suit yourself." And left. 

- End of Part 6 -   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Them terms! 

1. Ikinasai! - Go away! 

2. Kisama - bastard 

3. Rocket Town - a town build near the rocket with a failed launching. 

4. Reeve - was once head of the...urban district of Shinra, I think. In most Final Fantasy fics, he is also considered to be the new president of Shinra as he is the only one who lived. Also Cait Sith's maker. 

5. Turks - a group of people assigned by Shinra to do dirty stuff. 

6. Sessha no aijin - My beloved 

7. Yowai - weak 

8. arigatou gozaimasu (de gozaru) - thank you very much 

9. Kami-sama - God 

10. Shoufu - prostitute 

11. Midgar - a city kinda like New York City...Tokyo... 

12. Fort Condor - the fort of people who do not believe in and fight Shinra. 

13. Iya - No 


	7. Hearts Meeting

Disclaimer: And yet again... WE DON'T OWN THEM!!! 

**Slight spoilers exist in this chapter!**

Onna: Liv! Spit the lawyers out already!

Liv: Mmmmmmm.... -looks at the sakabatou-

Kenshin: Oro?! -hangs on to sakabatou-

Kaoru: She's insane...

Cloud: ^^;;

Onna: Whatever! KxK fluff time!

Kenshin and Kaoru: -blush-

********** 

Sano stealthily crept out of the house, following the sound of the Tiny Bronco's engine. He could hear Cid cursing about his need for sleep, and soon he could see him flipping a few switches and pushing some buttons.

Sano crept closer. He almost reached the Tiny Bronco when the doors closed and lifted off into the air.

_Damn!_ Sano thought. _Missed!_

Where am I?

_Her eyes opened slightly, feeling nothing beneath her. She felt like she was floating, in limbo, listening to the calls of..._

Father...?

_No... It can't be her father. He's dead, and she knew his voice._

It's not his...

_She could see a small light blinking far away, and it seems with every flash of light, her strength is drained even more. It blinked softly, steadily for a while, then it flashed brightly, so bright she had to close her eyes. A ray of light shot through, spearing through her chest._

_The pain was unbearable._

_She screamed._

Kenshin grabbed her by the shoulders. "Kaoru-dono! Kaoru-dono!!!" he called while he shook her. "Wake up!"

She continued to scream before her eyes snapped open, gasping for breath. "Ken...shin..." she murmured, trying to get up. Her hands shook and she fell backwards.

Kenshin caught her before she hit the bed. "Kaoru-dono?" he murmured as he shifted her in his arms to lay her head on his chest.

She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. The rumblings in his chest when he spoke. "Daijoubu de gozaru ka?"

Kaoru nodded. "I... just feel... so weak..." Every word was draining her strength. "I think I... need... to eat... something..."

Kenshin nodded as well as he propped up her pillows, placing her in a sitting position on the bed. "I'll be right back with some soup Shera-dono made," he murmured. 

"H-hai..." she murmured back, watching him as he left.

He wasn't gone for very long, and soon he sat beside her, slowly giving her spoonfuls as soon as she was able to swallow. Kaoru could feel a little of her strength returning with each mouthful, but she still felt quite drained.

She swallowed the last spoonful and leaned back with a contented sigh. "That was good," she smiled weakly. "Shera-san is a good cook."

Kenshin chuckled a bit. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Kaoru-dono..."

"Don't..." she murmured, closing her eyes.

"Nani?" Kenshin said, surprised at her words. "Don't..."

"Don't call me that..." she whispered. "Kaoru-dono... it sounds so... distant."

"Naze?"

"Because... because... I..." she looked pleadingly at him, trying to get the words out. "Because I love you..."

Kenshin's eyes widened in surprise. "Kaoru..."

"I'd loved you for so long, Kenshin..." Kaoru whispered. "And I want to know... Is your heart still with Tomoe-san...?"

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kaoru... A part of my heart will always be with Tomoe..."

Kaoru's eyes filled with tears. "Then... you don't..."

"Hush," he murmured, placing his finger on her lips. "Tomoe gave me what I needed at that time. Love, comfort and a momentary joy. She taught me what life is really all about, and I laid down my sword because of her."

"I'll never be like her..." Kaoru choked out.

"No," Kenshin shook his head. "You'll never be like Tomoe. You're you, Kamiya Kaoru. You're different from anyone else, and that's what makes you special, especially to me. Kaoru, my heart learned to love again when you attacked me in the streets of Tokyo."

"You mean...?" Kaoru's eyes, shining with hope, locked with his.

"Aishiteru, Kamiya Kaoru."

"Oh, Kenshin..." she murmured as Kenshin wrapped his arms around her, dusting kisses in her hair. "I love you..."

"Aa," Kenshin said through her hair. "Aishiteru..."

She smiled before her eyes closed and she fell into a peaceful slumber.

"It did not look like she was weak, Hojo..." a floating form levitated in the air, speaking without opening its mouth. "I trust that you do not underestimate her."

"She's only a woman," the scientist snorted. "And women are weak."

"Only the contrary," the form replied, "women are strong. Remember that it was a woman who gave Cloud Strife the spell Holy that ruined our plans."

"But Sephiroth killed her soon after. That proves her weakness!"

"No. The Ancient had returned, proving her strength. We cannot hope to quench the rebellion alone, with such a powerful being like that Cetra girl with them."

"Is this why you want the man with the scarred cheek?"

"Yessss..." it hissed. "I could see how important the woman is to him, but I underestimated her abilities. I will not make the same mistake again..."

The ranch was once again blanketed in darkness, night slowly giving into dawn. Silently, dark figures began moving around the compound, getting closer as each second passed.

_The woman will be caught... and a new era will rise..._

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Aishiteru- I love you 


	8. The Enemy...

Cloud: C'mon, Liv, spit the lawyers out. 

Liv: *shakes head* M-m!

Cloud: C'mon now, by this time, they should have learned their lesson.

Liv: No like.

Cloud: Liv...

Liv: ...aw, all right! PTUI! *spits lawyers out* Now do you believe that we don't own them??

Lawyers: *fly to Zimbabwe to seek shelter from Liv's madness*

Liv: Well, that was one hell'uva disclaimer. :) I entitle this: One hell'uva disclaimer! No wait! The Hellic disclaimer! No!

Cloud: *bonk*

Liv: All right, all right! I'll start the story, already!!

Onna: ^^;;

***** 

Destiny's Call - 8   
By: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

"Flyin' to the sky! I see birds flying by! Lalalalala! Chirpy chirpy they go!" Cid spent the night of flying to the ranch by singing one of his favorite nursery rhymes. It was pretty stupid, actually. There were the imitated bird chirps and the repetition of lines. 

Or it's just how Cid sings it...no one would hear him, anyway.

Below the clouds of the night sky, the huge windmill of the ranch can be seen rather clearly. Cid smiled. _Finally! Now to send these babies to the team..._

*****

_Never did I even think that I'd get to hold this power..._ The red haired Turk looked at his palm. _I thought it was all stupid...getting injected with simple cells...but sometimes...Hojo can really be a genius._ Reno clasped his hand into a fist. _So...THIS is Jenova...I feel like I actually AM Jenova..._

"Lalalalala! Chirpy chirpy they go!" 

"He's here." Reno turned to his left where the rest of the soldiers looked as well. 

***** 

Cid hummed the rest of the song as he took his spear and locked the door. He continued humming while he walked his way to the Chocobo Ranch. "Lalalalala-- who the hell?" He didn't stop his walking even if he had already seen four men waiting in the ranch. 

"It's a pleasant night, isn't it Cid??" The leader who seemed to be resting a some sort of stick on his shoulder spoke. 

"Damn! Reno??" Cid was not the least bit afraid. He had taken care of this Turk more than once. He was absolutely sure this ordeal wouldn't take long. "Hell're ya doin' here??" 

"We're basically waiting for you." Reno answered approaching the man alone. 

_I don't know if it's just me...or is Reno acting ^&%& weirdly?_ Cid raised his brow. "Yeah? Whatcha got for me?" Cid stopped finally face to face with Reno. Surprisingly, he received a stick thud right on the middle of his chest. It was so fast, he didn't see it coming. "Oof!" He was pushed downwards to the cold grasses. "Damn..." He groaned and squinted his eyes looking at Reno. "How--" 

Reno threatened Cid with his Night Rod. "There's been a change of plans, Cid. WE are taking the Chocobos." 

Cid groaned rolling his eyes. "Oh this is great." Quickly he rolled away from the stick and got into his feet, spear ready. "We'll settle who takes the Chocobos in a fight, then!" His first move was blocking Reno's stick with his spear pushing it up. The spear was then moved to stand vertically deflecting another attack. Taking the chance, Cid turned around and attempted a slash. 

Reno bent backwards very lowly barely missing the blade. Quickly, he straightened up and turned around sending a strong kick right at Cid's face. 

"Oof!" It sent Cid falling down to the grass again. Blood dripped from his lips to his the grasses. Cid was surprised to see this. "Damn...you're strong..." He grunted pushing himself to stand up. Soon, he was facing Reno again. "Been training lately, huh?" 

"No, you've just weakened." Reno mocked. Immediately, he thrust his Night Rod forward hoping it would touch Cid's body but the latter had leapt backwards. Reno had done the same act of defense when Cid attempted to stab him. No longer risking to do a short ranged attack, he cast his Night Rod on Cid and released the Neo Turk Light. 

Cid gasped seeing the three fireballs fly towards him. Luckily, he moved to his left missing the two fireballs, but the last one had caught his left arm burning it severely. "SH*T!!!" He cried stumbling down as he held his wound. 

Reno had an evil smile on as he approached Cid easy-goingly. "Well? Aren'cha gonna get up and fight? Or maybe you can just give me the Chocobos." 

"Breed yer own! Hya!" Cid rolled to the left at the same time moving his spear to slash upwards. 

"Gah!" Reno stumbled backwards holding his first wound on the abdomen. It bled quickly and rather profusely. He glared and snarled at Cid who was now standing. 

"C'mon, Reno! Y'know the bad guys lose and the good guys win." Cid had the gut feeling this was gonna be a harder and longer battle than before. But he will win. He was already standing, ready for round 2. 

"No...this time...Jenova wins!" 

"Jenova?!" Cid spat. He didn't know what hit him...but it felt like Cloud's Meteorain blasted right behind him. All he could do was give out a very loud painful cry. 

Reno watched Cid drop to the ground, unconscious and bleeding. "Hmph." The wound from Cid's spear closed miraculously. "Like I said, there was a change of plans..." 

***** 

"This is the town square, right?" The long black haired guy with a huge sword behind him walked slowly as he explored the empty square of Nibelheim. "Damn! What the hell am I doing here??" He rubbed his arm. "I feel so real...as if...as if I'm actually alive!" 

"You will be alive..." 

The man gasped and turned around. There was a woman in white dress seated on a chair. "Who--" 

"...Zack." 

"Whut the--" Zack drew his Buster Sword and positioned to his fighting stance. "Hey! Who are you?! How did you know my name?!" 

"I've always known your name." The woman stood up and approached Zack but spoke without opening her mouth. "I've always know you..." 

"Get away from me!" Zack backed off. 

"I know how you made it to SOLDIER..." 

"Stop..." 

"How you met your love..." 

"Stop it...!" 

"How you met your best friend..." 

"Stop it!" Soon, the race was done. The woman was in the center of the town square while Zack was in the edge of the town square. "Why are you doing this to me?? What do you want??" 

"I just want to tell you...how your best friend had betrayed you..." The woman walked once more. 

"Who? Cloud?" Zack didn't move any longer. 

"Yesss...Cloud Strife..." 

Zack's breathing became faster every step the woman makes. "W...why would he betray me?" 

"He has stolen from you your love..." 

"Aeris?" 

"Yesss...now, Aeris had totally forgotten you!" 

"That's not true. Aeris is very thoughtful to--" 

"Oh yes, she is thoughtful...but Cloud had taken your memory away from her..." 

"No way, I don't believe you." Zack shook his head. This didn't seem to be a threat to him at all. 

"Oh...but you WILL!" 

"Agh!" Zack dropped his sword quickly holding his head when a shrieking noise entered it. His eyes were shut tight and his teeth were gritted. He didn't notice the woman was going on, speaking of the betrayal Cloud Strife had committed. Soon, he was on his knees, trying his best to ease every ounce of pain delivered to him. The voice went on and he felt like his whole world was turning around and around, faster and faster...until he just had to let out a loud scream of pain. It was both from his head...and what had hit him from the back. 

Silence surrounded the area. Zack fell forward but luckily had his hands to support him. He was panting...perspiring... 

_**You will kill Cloud...**_

_No...Cloud never betrayed me...liar...liar...!_

_**You WILL kill Cloud...**_

_Cloud was doing his duty on Aeris!_

_**Cloud Strife must DIE!!!**_

_........yes..._ The panting had gone slower, his heart felt light._ Cloud deserves a miserable death..._

_**Yesss...**_

_I will kill him...I will give him the ultimate punishment of hell..._

_**You will take his life...and take the Cetra...**_

_**The Cetra will be sacrificed to my new body...and the new era will begin...**_

_Yes, Lord Jenova..._

***** 

Morning had struck Rocket Town. Almost everyone in the team had left Cid's home and scurried off somewhere in the town. People who were left were Barret, Cloud, Shera, Kenshin and Kaoru. 

Shera was done washing the dishes. She sighed twisting the faucet to stop the water from flowing. 

"Shera, what is it?" Cloud asked while he wiped the wet plates and placed them in the dish holder. 

"It's Captain...it's already morning and he hasn't come home yet." Shera was too worried (or maybe too sad) to look at Cloud. 

Cloud twitched his lip. "I'm getting very worried, myself. That guy's never been late until now." Cloud turned to the clock. "It's almost an hour before lunch." 

"M, maybe Captain just attempted to find the Highwind!" Shera finally faced Cloud. "Yeah! Maybe he was looking for it..." She watched Cloud turn around slowly, still with a monotonous face. "...right?" 

Cloud shook his head with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Shera. But I have no idea..." He was cut short when knocks on the door were heard. 

"Captain??" Shera walked quickly from the sink to the door. "Captain! *gasp*" 

"Shera, what is it??" Cloud took a step to approaching the door. To his surprise, Shera flew to the cupboards and fell to the floor. "Shera!" He turned to her. There was thud near the entrance. Looking at it, his eyes enlarged and he took steps backward. "Cid...!" 

Cid was unconscious. He looked pathetic. A foot stepped on his head. 

Cloud followed where the foot lead until he was facing the man. "Reno...?!" 

"Glad to meet you again, Cloud!" Reno stepped away from Cid's head and entered the house. 

"...Shera." Cloud called slowly drawing the sword out from his back. "Shera, can you hear me??" He glanced at her very quickly. From the glance, he could see the woman was standing up with the help of the work tables. "Shera, take the foreigners out of here now!" 

Shera grunted and wordlessly climbed the stairs. "Kaoru!!!" She called. 

Reno pointed his weapon to Shera. "Get her!" 

With an angry cry, Cloud violently slashed the first soldier who attempted to chase Shera on the abdomen. He kicked another one to the sink with his heavy boot. Quickly, he his sword pointing downwards and stabbed the soldier on his stomach. Suddenly, he felt electricity surround his body from the back. "Gah!" He almost dropped to the ground but his hand quickly held on the sink. He turned around ready to fight whoever had casted the lightning spell on him. _Bolt Plume!_ He noticed upon seeing the silver orb on the soldier's hand. _Dive!_ Quickly he threw himself to the floor, missing the Bolt Plume that was tossed. He fumbled for his pocket a random item and tossed it to the soldier. 

The Fire Fang landed on the soldier's chest burning him severely with an inhuman cry. 

Cloud grunted using his sword as support to stand up. When he was up on his feet, someone had pushed him to make him turn around. "Gak!" Stronger electricity entered his body when the Night Rod's end touched his chest. 

Reno held on for quite a long time until he was sure Cloud would be weak enough to even carry his sword. He let go of the chest resting the weapon on his shoulder again and watched Cloud fall the ground heavily. "You're defying the rule of sword wielding: one cannot carry a sword bigger and heavier than he is. Take a rest." Ignoring Cloud's indistinguishable muttering, he made his way to the second floor. 

Finally nearing the top, he heard a gun click. Reno expected it to be Vincent but instead of a pale man, he was given a dark colored one. "Barret." 

Barret glared at him. "Not one step or I'll shoot yer red ass!" 

"Oh really?" Reno took a step. 

"Yeah!" Bullets flew out of Barret's gun arm. He was shaking due to the impact while the shooting went on. 

Reno bent backwards to the right missing all the bullets. Without warning, he thrust the Night Rod towards Barret's abdomen. A big hand had caught it, stopping it from touching the skin. He showed Barret a sheepish grin who in turn, showed him a mischievous one. The sheepish grin changed into an evil one when the Night Rod extended and touched Barret's skin, electrifying him. Reno pulled his weapon from Barret's hold watching the man drop, weakened. "Hmph!" He continued his way to the second floor and saw Shera blocking the door with heavy furniture. "You're just wasting money and effort, missy." With a simple point of the weapon, three fireballs flew towards the doorway and exploded. 

Shera shrieked as she was thrown to the wall with the other furniture. 

Reno glanced at Shera resting his weapon once more. He then made his way into the room. 

"Halt." 

Reno stopped his steps seeing the red-haired swordsman ready for a fight. 

Kaoru was on the very corner of her bed under the protection of Kenshin. "Kenshin..." 

"I won't let him get you, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin's eyes were focused on Reno. 

Reno smirked. 

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu! Dou Ryu Sen!!!" Kenshin called stabbing the sakabatou to the floor. Wind and dust traveled from Kenshin's sword towards Reno. 

Reno gave an evil laugh and leapt high, away from the blast. 

"Nanda--" Kenshin was cut short when he felt the air go dank. His breathing became slower...it was as if his every movement was slowed down! 

While still on air, Reno's Night Rod was held behind his right shoulder. "And this is what I call...Neo Turk Light!" 

"Kenshin!!!" Kaoru called. 

"Gahhh!!!" Kenshin was pushed to the window by the fireballs and crash pass it falling down to the garage. 

"Kenshin!!!" Kaoru moved to look at the window. But she felt so weak, she didn't even make it out to bed. 

"That should teach you to wear something else besides a bath robe." Reno landed and gave Kaoru an evil smile. "It's me again, sister." He approached Kaoru. 

"Reno!!!" A woman's angry voice called from behind. 

Reno turned around quickly and successfully hit the bare abdomen of the female fighter. 

Tifa felt like she lost her breath. Her eyes were bloodshot, her jaws left open. "Ugh...ugh..." Slowly, she knelt down while her hands held her abdomen. 

"Tifa!" Aeris gasped. She was the last one to have entered the room. "Reno, why are you doing this??" She quickly turned to Reno, but what she saw, she didn't expect. It made her gasp as well...the flash of visions of an old enemy. 

_**Cetra....**_

A voice hissed. 

Reno smiled evilly at Aeris while he took the helpless Kaoru and swung her over his shoulder. "Watch your back." He turned around and leapt out of the broken window. 

No one knew where he landed, but one thing's for sure: he made it out alive. 

- End of Part 8 -   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Termsytermsy! Termsytermsy! XD 

1. Jenova - Calamity from the Sky, s/he (yes!!! ^^;;) was kinda like the ultimate bad guy who takes over Planet THROUGH Sephiroth. (s/he lied to be Sephiroth's mother...) 

2. Meteorain - Cloud's Level 3.1 limit break, another technique. 

3. Zack - no, he's not invented. He's Cloud's best friend when they were both in the army. Also Aeris' first love. He died while he was escaping with Cloud in the cliff near Midgar. 

4. Buster Sword - Cloud's primary weapon (he actually took it from Zack promising to avenge him). It's a huge butcher knife. 

5. Bolt Plume - item that can cast Bolt 2 when thrown. (Bolt 2 is a spell) I just imagined it to be a silver orb... 

6. Fire Fang - item that can cast Fire 2 when thrown. (Fire 2 is also a spell) Maybe it looks like a red fang... 

7. Dou Ryu Sen - some technique in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu-- Kenshin's skill/style/philosophy. 

Liv: 7 terms?? FINAL FANTASY **7**!!! XD Anyway, *ahem*. Believe it or not, the original part 8 (look fer The Clashing of Worlds - 8 by: LGStrife) is a CxA mush scene! 

Cloud: Oh yes, that. Anyway, you were gonna say something else. 

Liv: Hai! That song Cid was singing? I invented it. ^^;; No such song. It's in the tune of 'Yohoho! And a bottle of rum!'. And I'm not sure about the spelling of Dou Ryu Sen but I've seen Oro-boy do it. In that...cave...y'know...*with accent* Schneider? 

Onna: And I had to correct the spelling for you! 

Cloud: And I have something to say, too. 

Liv: Ei? *turns to Cloud* Chen de ma? (really?) 

Cloud: Yeah...cheater! 

Liv: What?! 

Cloud: That extension of Reno's Night Rod was from Tokyo Raiders! Tony Leung, remember?? 

Liv: C'MON NOW! It's not bad to invent a new attack! 

Cloud: It wasn't invented, Liv. It was COPIED! 

Liv: Awww! 

Cloud: And the electric rod gibberish! That was from Tony Leung, too! 

Liv: ^^;; 

Cloud: Y-- 

Onna: Errr... guys... 

Liv: NO WAY! 

Cloud: Wha?? 

Liv: Reno HAD that attack!

Onna: Okay... I'll shut up now... 

Cloud: No way! 

Liv: Yes way! Reno executed that attack on you! 

Cloud: He did?? 

Liv: Yeah! I even had to use a Hi-Potion on you!! 

Onna, Kenshin and Kaoru: *eat California Maki while Cloud and Liv argue* ^^;; 


	9. The Calm Before The Storm

Disclaimer: Don't own them!!! 

********** 

_Kaoru...!_ Kenshin's mind screamed as he fell, seeing Reno jump off the window as well. He grunted in pain as the wounds Reno gave him bled some more. His hand reached out, trying to grab Kaoru in vain.

Then he felt himself jerk, and he was brought back to the room.

"V-Vincent..." Kenshin choked out as soon as the former Turk gently placed him on a chair.

"Shhh..." Aeris murmured, her body glowing.

"E-Eirisu-dono..." Kenshin turned his pleading violet eyes to the Cetra girl. "I-I have to save K-Kaoru..."

"And we will," Cloud said, flexing his healed limbs. "But first we gotta get you back in top shape."

Aeris cast Full Cure, and Kenshin felt his body rejuvenate. He sighed in relief as he leaned back, completely healed.

"Where's Busu?!" Yahiko cried in dismay.

"Kuso..." Sano murmured. "That Reno jerk's taken her away!"

"Now guys, calm down," Tifa said, placing a hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "We will get Kaoru back, but we need to strategize."

"Yeah!" Cait Sith cried. "This is Shinra we're talking about! You don't just attack and expect to win!"

Aeris shook her head sadly, curing Barret and Cid. "It's not Shinra."

"Then who?!" Barret cursed. "That Reno seemed ^%#^*!@ different!"

"That's because he is," Aeris whispered. "Jenova..."

"Jenova?!" Yuffie screeched. "Impossible! We killed him!"

"This is what you were talking about, weren't you, Sephiroth?" Cloud said, rising to his feet. The stoic man nodded.

"Eirisu-dono..." Kenshin said. "What did you do to cure me?"

"It's called magic, Kenshin."

Kaoru woke up with a throbbing head, for a moment expecting to be back in her dojo. Instead, she found herself on a platform, surrounded by some sort of a magical barrier.

"Aahh... You're awake..." a soft voice said.

"Who...?! What am I doing here?!" Kaoru snarled, rising to her feet. "You better get me out of here if you know what's good for you!"

A maniacal laugh, then a dark figure stepped out. "You, my dear, will be instrumental to my cause."

Kaoru gritted her teeth. "I will never help you!"

"Oh yes you will."

"What do you want?!"

"What do I want?" Hojo laughed. "What do I want from a pathetic woman like you? I want your fighting spirit, I want the boy, and I want the skills of the man with the scarred cheek."

"You'll never get Yahiko, or Kenshin!"

"I never say never. What Jenova wants, Jenova gets..."

"I wish to learn magic," Kenshin said. "Reno seemed to cast the same type of magic on me which slowed my movements, making me incapable of protecting Kaoru-dono."

"The Time Materia," Cloud nodded. "Explains why you seemed unable to avoid his Neo Turk Light."

"I want to be prepared next time, so if I may learn this magic..."

"Me too!" Yahiko piped up. "I want to help Busu!" 

"I know a place called Cosmo Canyon," Red XIII shared pawing his way to the center of the crowd. "It's my hometown. From there, we can teach you how to use Materia."

"I agree," Cloud spoke. "I'm sure we have a few extra Materias from our previous journey." He turned to Yuffie.

"What?!" Yuffie asked in annoyance.

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Kuso- Damn


	10. The Heart of the Matter

Disclaimer: Reviewer ** Susan** is very patient to have waited for part 10. :) 

Onna: LIV!!!

Cloud: That didn't sound like a disclaimer.

Liv: ...Aw, for PETE'S SAKE! RK and FF7 ain't ours! Whoever thinks wrong will be charged of homicide! *sees an otaku lawyer about to attack*

Lawyer: *flies to Iceland*

Kenshin: Oro?!

Kaoru: This is too weird...

***** 

Destiny's Call - 10   
By: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

The door opened. Cloud turned to the newcomer. "How's Shera?" 

"I sent her to the inn." Cid answered. "The innkeeper said he'll take her to Mideel soon." 

"She should be safe there." Cloud turned to his right looking at everyone. "We have enough items as of now. However, the journey from this town to Cosmo Canyon wouldn't go very smoothly. We head for Nibelheim, restock, then continue for Cosmo Canyon. Is that clear?" He received different answers of affirmation. "Good. Now here's the problem. Reno and his lackeys only brought 4 Chocobos. That allows only 8 people to ride on them." 

"And the motherf*ckers didn't bring back my Tiny Bronco..." Cid muttered. 

Strangely, there was a some sort of whirling sound above them. 

"No, they did..." Sephiroth looked at the roof. 

Cloud listened the whirling sound get louder. Next thing he knew, he was hiding under furnitures while loud bullets entered the house hoping luck would get them a victim. Everyone had ran to wherever for shelter. 

"&*^&*! They've turned my plane into a fighting machine!!" Cid hid between the kitchen and the stairway constantly cowering while the shooting went on. He saw a red and black something roll under the table. "Damn it, Vincent! This ain't no time to play stunt double!!" 

Vincent listened to the bullets. He turned to Cid. "Stay there!" 

"What?!" 

"Stay there!!" 

"What the hell are ya gonna do?! HEY!!!" Cid called but Vincent had already ran off the house. "*^&*!!!" 

***** 

Vincent jogged outside watching the plane flying in circles, readying another series of attack. He drew his gun and aimed the Death Penalty on the tail. Before the soldier on it could even fire another bullet, he pulled the trigger sending the Tiny Bronco spinning downwards. He watched the tail smoke while he returned his gun to its holster and entered the house. 

***** 

"Did you get 'im?" Cid was the first one to ask Vincent. He approached him near the door. 

Vincent looked at Cid. "...it's back to the water." 

"Ah SH*T!!!" Cid cursed loudly as Vincent passed by him. 

Vincent watched everyone stand up and leave their hiding places. 

"It seems that Jenova is using Shinra." 

Vincent turned around upon hearing Sephiroth speak. 

"Shinra would be out of their minds to launch another senseless attack on us." Sephiroth continued. 

"Rocket Town isn't a very safe place for us, anymore." Cloud spoke. "We have to leave NOW." 

"But Cloud!" Barret called. "We ain't gonna fit in the Chocobos!" 

Cloud groaned. "We did NOT defeat Sephiroth by relying on Chocobos!" He didn't care if Sephiroth had heard it. "If you can't ride on a Chocobo, walk! Or if you want one..." He tossed over a green. "Get a wild one." With that, he set off. 

Barret caught the green and stared at it. "Damn...you're a foo, Barret. A foo, ya hear?" He turned to Sephiroth. "Awright! Let's go, Seph! ...Seph?" 

Sephiroth was in deep thought. 

**_My son..._**

A hissing voice called. 

"Jenova..." Sephiroth immediately looked to Cloud. "Strife, look out!!" 

"What?!" Cloud turned around. Surprisingly, he was thrown towards Sephiroth when a huge explosion occurred behind him. "Gah!!!" 

"Oof!" Sephiroth fell backwards with Cloud on top of him. 

"Damn, what was that..." Cloud got off Sephiroth squinting his eyes. 

Right in front of them, now, was the work of a demon. It was a some sort of wall with a face. Claws were seen at each end of the upper wall. It was an alienated monster. 

It was Jenova. 

"Ah, damn! Knew this was gonna happen!" Barret readied his gun arm. "Get yer spiky ass up, Cloud! We're gonna finish this bastard!" 

Cloud grunted as he stood up. He pulled off his sword from behind and readied for a fight. "Sephiroth...for once, help me fight this thing." Thankfully, he saw the man position his long sword near his eye. "Thanks, Seph." 

"This is a total waste of time." Sephiroth muttered to himself. 

"Just three of us will be okay." Cloud whispered to his party. Soon, Jenova was approaching them. "Aeris!!" He called. "Get everyone else out of here!! Take the Chocobos!!" 

"But Cloud--" The flower girl protested. 

"Go on, Aeris!! They'll make sure no one takes you this time!" 

Aeris was by the stairway merely looking at Cloud. "...All right!" Finally, she was able to convince herself. "Everyone, c'mon!" She climbed out of the stairway while everyone else left the house. Heading out, she noticed Kenshin wasn't moving at all. "Kenshin, let's go!" 

"Iya, Eirisu-dono. I'm fighting with Kuraudo-san." 

"No!" Aeris grabbed Kenshin's arms. "Don't you get it?? Jenova is a powerful being--" 

"I know...but I can't abandon my friends." 

"Kenshin, please! Listen to me!" Aeris was almost pleading. It was then that Jenova's battle had begun. "Save your skills for Kaoru!" 

"Demo--" 

"She'll need it!!" 

Kenshin looked straight into Aeris' eyes. _...She's right._ Finally, he nodded. "Let's go." He left the house together with Aeris. 

But before Aeris could leave the house, she turned around to the battle where Cloud is. _Good luck._ Finally, she turned and left. She rushed over to Yahiko and helped him up to a Chocobo with Sano. Tifa was the one who pushed everyone into riding one. 

"Aeris!" 

Aeris turned around to Tifa. 

"Our Chocobo is waiting, hurry!" 

Aeris nodded and followed Tifa. She rode on the Gold Chocobo with Tifa beside the black one with Cid and Yuffie on it. 

"Cait Sith!" Tifa turned her Chocobo around to face the machine. "Are you sure you can catch up with us??" 

Cait Sith nodded. "Sure thing, Tif! Besides, we can't fit on a Chocobo..." 

Tifa nodded. Her Chocobo jogged to the front where she spoke to everyone. "We'll head for Mt. Nibel! It's our only route!" She turned to Kenshin who was on a Green Chocobo with Vincent. "Don't get lost. If you want to see Kaoru, again..." 

"Hai!" Kenshin nodded with determination. 

"Watch Yahiko and Sano." Tifa's Chocobo turned and left quickly upon her command. The others followed. 

***** 

"Hya!" Cloud somersaulted to Jenova's back and ducked missing another one of her energy rays. He leapt into a back flip and hopped backwards missing two of them. "You're harder than I thought!" He moved his sword in front of him in a diagonal manner as a green ring surrounded him blowing wind upwards. He twirled his equipping it back to his suspender. He moved his fists forward and bent his knees lowering his whole body. 

A huge green sparkling orb approached Jenova and exploded into green air. It was repeated five times with Jenova getting weaker and weaker each turn. 

Cloud used the opportunity to cast Regen to his whole party. 

Sephiroth, on the other hand, didn't seem to need it. He was floating in the air. He moved his right hand over to his face, the same green ring around him, and casted it to Jenova surrounding her with a cold mist. A huge crystal shaped ice appeared inside the ring of mist and created icicles around it. It exploded into shards causing cuts in Jenova's skin. 

Barret had been firing ever since the battle began. Up 'til now, he wasn't letting go. "C'MON, FINISH IT UP!" 

Cloud zoomed forward and slashed on Jenova twice, the second one stronger. He leapt backwards as Jenova began to shake and disappear into nothingness. 

Finally, Barret lowered his gun arm. He dropped to his butt heavily, tired of what Sephiroth had told him to do. "Damn! Remind me never to listen to this guy again!" 

"Heh, felt like your arm was gonna come off with the bullets, huh?" Cloud kidded, panting. 

"Yeah!!" 

"Heh...well, that was a wise idea. Thanks to you, I think we were able to finish Jenova more easily than without you shooting bullets." 

Sephiroth landed on the floor, as if he had not exerted effort to finishing Jenova. "It's getting dark, Strife." 

"I know." Cloud approached Sephiroth equipping his sword back. He offered his hand to Barret who gladly took it and stood up. "No time to lose. We'll rest in Cosmo Canyon." 

"What??" Barret spat. "No Nibelheim??" 

"C'mon, Barret. I'm dead tired. But they'd probably be biting their nails by the time we get there." 

Barret turned to Sephiroth for help but a mere stare was given. "Ah...^&%^!! Awright! Let's go!" 

***** 

"Cloud!!" Both Tifa and Aeris called as they rushed towards the newcomers. Tifa gave Cloud a tight hug. "We were so worried!" 

"Yeah...I can see that..." Cloud gave a small laugh hugging his old friend. 

Tifa broke the gesture and stepped aside for the other girl to get the chance to hold her friend. 

Aeris was different, though. She threw herself over to Cloud almost causing him to stumble backwards. 

"Whoah!" Cloud moved his feet backward to regain balance with the woman clinging onto him. "Aeris, I'm fine!" He said laughing still. 

"I guess I'm just so happy to see you're fine." Aeris hopped back to the ground smiling at Cloud. "Huh?" Her happy look turned into a questioning one. "Where's Sephiroth?" 

"Sephiroth?" Cloud looked around, only to see the man heading to the inn. "Oh." He pointed behind Aeris. 

Aeris turned around and watched the man enter the place. She turned to Tifa who just broke a hug from Barret. "Hi, Barret!" She waved and approached the huge man. 

"Hey!" Barret greeted back and hugged Aeris back when the latter had done so. 

Aeris broke the gesture sooner. "The others are waiting for you. C'mon..." 

***** 

Kaoru, though a very brave woman, looked on the metal cuffs around her body with fear. She was laid on a white table of some sort inside a huge glass container. She gasped when she heard the machine whirling. Her heart beat fast when the table rose into a standing position. From there, she watched the lunatic scientist head from one side of the lab to another. "W, what are you doing?!" 

Hojo stopped from his work and turned calmly to Kaoru. "What am I doing?" 

"I don't have to repeat what I just said!!" 

Hojo snickered and walked slowly towards Kaoru, his back hunched and his hands on his back. "Simple: I'm going to clone you." 

_Clone!_ Kaoru shook her head. "Impossible! Cloning humans are impossible!" 

"Oh...but it is..." Hojo snickered. "Have you met my son and Cloud?" 

"Kuraudo-san...yes, I've met Kuraudo-san...but not your son..." 

Hojo was still snickering. "One of them is a human clone, I'll let you guess who. As for my son...I'll leave it hanging." He returned to his work. 

Kaoru's eyes enlarged. "One...of them...is...a clone...?" She shuddered upon the thought. "At least...at least whoever is the clone has a good heart! Even if it's not given to him by a mother! Unlike yours!!" 

Hojo paused from his work. But soon, his finger had moved and pressed a button.

Kaoru gave a short shriek when the machine began to move again. _Kami-sama...Kami-sama, please don't let me die...don't let me die...Kenshin..._ She closed her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek. _Kenshin...I hope I've told you sooner...that I love you...so we could have spent more time together...demo...I might die now..._

The screen showed Kaoru's physical body in 3D and graph. Each detail of her skin was listed down on the screen. Hojo's eyeglasses reflected what was being shown. 

**_Hojo..._**

The familiar voice called. 

Hojo gave a mischievous smile. "Back so soon, Jenova?" 

**_Yesss..._**

"How have they been?" 

**_Not much has changed...they have grown quite stronger...yet still frail..._**

Hojo chuckled and entered commands for phase 2 of Kaoru's cloning. 

Kaoru gasped when green smoke entered her container from the roof and floor. "Yamete! Onegai, yamete!!" But she was not heard. She coughed from the smoke surrounding her. 

The screen revealed a copy of her systems acquired by the Mako smoke Hojo had released. "You shouldn't be a very difficult specimen...." It was time for phase 3...the last one. His finger moved to press a button. 

Kaoru saw a syringe reveal itself from the roof. It was pointing right at her. She didn't know if she could take such inhumanity any longer. 

Hojo gave an evil grin. "Sweet dreams." The syringe flew and a grunt was heard. 

***** 

_Kaoru-dono..._ Kenshin repeated the name in his mind. He was seated in front of the undying flame to keep himself warm from the cold night. _I miss you...I worry about you..._ His mind began to replay wonderful events he had with Kaoru... 

When she was still with him...

_I'll save you, Kaoru-dono...don't worry...I'll save you..._ A tear ran down Kenshin's scar. _Even if it takes my life..._

***** 

"I thought you're dead tired from your battle with Jenova." 

"Huh?" Cloud turned around and saw Aeris approaching him. "Aeris, what are you doing up so late?" He watched the woman sit beside him. He was on a canyon. The cold wind doesn't seem to be doing a very good job of convincing him to sleep. His feet was slightly apart, knees bent. His arms were each on one knee. 

"Well...can I say I have no reason at all?" Aeris smiled at Cloud sitting with her feet together and knees bent while her hands supported her at the back. "Actually, I can't sleep. It's pretty lonely down there. Then I saw you up here. What about you?" 

Cloud sighed. "Nothing new, same reason..." He looked at the night sky. "Couldn't sleep...and I have a lot of things in my head." 

"You've always been like that." 

"Huh?" Cloud turned to Aeris. 

"In deep thought..." 

"...I'm sorry, you must have mistaken me for Sephiroth." Cloud joked setting his left leg to the soil while his left hand supported his body. 

Aeris giggled. 

Cloud's gentle eyes were settled on the giggling Aeris. Soon, he found himself caressing the woman's cheek. 

Aeris bent her neck to the right feeling ticklish. 

Cloud fixed his position and moved his body towards Aeris' neck setting a trail of kisses. 

Aeris didn't stop him, her eyes were closed as the man went on. Soon, she moved her hand on Cloud's lips making the man look at her. She smiled. "Get to the point, Strife...!" 

Cloud smiled as well and indulged Aeris into a romantic kiss on her lips. His hands moved around Aeris and pushed her closer towards him. His chest felt the humps on his woman's beautiful body. 

Aeris' left arm was around Cloud's nape while her right hand was holding his head from moving away. She wanted the kiss to last longer... 

And Cloud is granting her wish...   
  


Terms: 

1. Regen - a curative spell that gradually increases the HP of the target. 

2.. Yamete! Onegai, yamete!! - Stop it! Please, stop it!! 

Liv: :( 

Cloud: What now??

Onna: -munches on chicken burger- 

Liv: I wanted to make the story longer!!! 

Cloud: What?? That's it?? Well, no one's stopping you! 

Liv: B, but...with the CxA scene up there I...I can't seem to go on~!!! 

Onna: It's romantic enough. 

Cloud: Goodness! That ending alone was too much! ...ummm...maybe you really shouldn't go on any further... 

Liv: Shaddap! *bonks Cloud*

Kenshin: 0_0x 

Cloud: Ouch! 

Liv: Now, what was I supposed to say again? Oh yeah! That with LGStrife around: NO story finishes WITHOUT a CxA scene! MURHAHAHAHA!!! XD 

Kenshin, Kaoru and Onna: ^^;; 

Cloud: *rubs bonked spot* 


	11. Fighting Spirit

Disclaimer: Don't own RK or FF7!!! 

Kaoru: Do you have to keep saying that over and over? 

Onna: Not unless you want those lawyers to come back and have Liv swallow them. 

Kaoru: Point taken... 

Onna: Despite Onna-baka's love for a Cloud x Tifa pairing, Aeris is okay in her book. And besides, she's not a Final Fantasy writer! Liv is! 

Liv: *plays chess with Cloud* HAHA! Checkmate! XD 

Cloud: *raises brow and moves King* 

Liv: Oh ^^;; 

Onna: For the love of heaven...! 

Kenshin: Oro?! 

Onna: Ack! **Susan**! You can stop threatening us now!!! WAAAAH!!! 

********** 

"Ken." 

"Oro?" Kenshin looked up to find Cloud standing in front of him, arm extended. 

"It's time you got used to Magic. Yahiko, you'll come too." 

"Sano?" Kenshin asked as he placed his sword on his belt. 

"Che. I don't need magic," Sano said haughtily. "I can help get Jou-chan back with just these," he raised his fists. 

"Suit yourself," Cloud said as he placed his Ultima Weapon on his back and hopped on a Chocobo. "You all right, Ken?" 

Kenshin nodded wordlessly, his hand still tightening his grip on his sword. _If they harm Kaoru... I swear I'll kill them..._   
  


Bleary blue eyes opened, and Kaoru found herself back in her original prison. The place where the syringe struck was sore and swollen. Kaoru cursed under her breath and pulled herself to her feet, still wondering if the cloning was successful. 

**_You're awake..._** the form from earlier hissed. 

"No thanks to you," she shot back, glaring daggers at it. 

**_Patience, my dear..._** it grinned. **_Your friends will join you very soon. And they will join my cause, whether they like it or not._**

"You'll never get them," she spat out. "They're stronger than you think." 

**_I know all your strengths and weaknesses, and they're nothing compared to me. I am the strongest of all._**

"You're just as bad as Shishio," Kaoru snapped. "And like him, you'll go down as well." 

The doors hissed open and Hojo stepped inside. "I see you're having conversation," he said, smiling evilly. 

**_If that's how you see it._**

"Meet your clone, my dear." 

Kaoru gasped. The figure that followed after the scientist had raven hair, blue eyes, complete with a kimono ensemble and a blue ribbon. She looked exactly like Kaoru... 

_Only she has an evil glint in her eyes... _Kaoru thought, clenching her fists. 

"If you think this copy can fool Kenshin," she growled, fire burning in her sapphire orbs, "you're wrong. He won't fall for this!" 

**_How can you be so sure?_**

Kaoru wisely stayed silent, careful not to divulge any information about Kenshin's skills. 

_Kenshin can sense ki..._   
  


"All right!" Cloud cried as he finished of two boar-like monsters with Fire. "That's how it's done." 

Yahiko looked at Cloud with his jaw hanging. "Sugoi! That was so cool!" 

"Aa, Kuraudo-san," Kenshin nodded. "How do you control this... materias?" 

"Control?" Cloud shook his head. "With Materia equipped on you, you learn the knowledge of the Ancients. The materia you have enables you to summon the abilities of earth. You just have to concentrate on using earth and it guides you and does the rest." 

"Aa," Kenshin nodded as soon as three more boars appeared. 

"I'll give it a try," Yahiko said, concentrating on his ice materia. Green light glowed around him as Yahiko raised his shinai to chest level. He swung it back upwards, creating a huge lump of ice. Yahiko let out a battle cry and brought the bamboo sword down, sending the ice to one of the boars. It howled and died. 

Yahiko slumped to the ground panting. "That was cool! But it was exhausting!" 

"Materia increases your magic power very well, but it greatly decreases your hit power," Cloud said as he fished out two purple materias. "These are HP Plus materias. It will keep your strength from draining." 

Yahiko took it gratefully. "Your turn, Kenshin!" 

Kenshin quickly equipped the HP Plus, then turned his attention to the remaining two boars. When he equipped the earth materia, he had felt weaker and rather naive. With the HP Plus materia in the bangle Cloud gave him, he felt 'normal' again...though not to its fullest extent. One lunged over to attack him, which he quickly sidestepped. He called on his Earth materia, his body glowing green. He stretched out his sword, twirling it at a great speed, casting a quake on the ground beneath the boars. Again they howled and died. 

"Good!" Cloud called out as Kenshin dropped to the ground. "It's very taxing even with the HP plus, isn't it?" 

Kenshin nodded, unable to speak. 

"You'll get used to it in no time. Next thing you know, you'll be executing Limit Breaks without breaking a sweat." 

"Limit Breaks? What's that?" Yahiko asked, revitalizing himself with an X-Potion before throwing it to Kenshin, who drank thirstily. 

"That would depend on your skills," Cloud replied. "These could seen as your signature moves." 

"I oughta see Kenshin Kuzu Ryusen a monster!" Yahiko shouted gleefully. 

"Oro..." 

Cloud's PHS buzzed. "Yes?" 

"Cloud!" 

"Aeris?" 

"Kaoru's here! She managed to escape!"   
  


Kaoru cursed as she was held in her prison. Hojo's lab was now empty and dark. Kaoru did not appreciate being probed and poked like an animal. 

The clone had left hours ago, and who knows what havoc it's wreaking on the AVALANCHE and her friends? 

_That's why I'm getting out of here!_

She had earlier discovered a small hole in the magical barrier, and also noticed that one of the lab windows directly faced the slums. 

If she could manage to sneak out and find her way to them... 

She carefully slid her body through the hole, wincing in pain when some parts of her body hit the barrier. No alarm went off, probably because they didn't think she would be bold enough to escape. 

_Yet again you underestimated me,_ she thought. _I'm not a swordswoman for nothing._

She silently crept to the stairs, taking care to keep silent as she closed the door. She checked herself to see if she left anything, and confident that she left no trace, began to descend the stairs. 

After what felt like forever, she finally snuck out of the Shinra compound. She dashed for the dark slums, carefully avoiding the guards and light. 

When she made a considerable distance, she dropped to the ground and crawled to the dark areas of the slums. She grabbed a piece of cloth from the garbage can and covered her head with it. She found a tattered cloak and wrapped it around her. Leaning over she grabbed a handful of dust and dirtied her face with it. She then leaned back and slept. 

But not for long. 

The sound of footsteps jolted her awake, and instinctively she knew they were looking for her. She saw that a gate heading outside was open, left without guards. She took a deep breath, grabbed a stick and hobbled over to the gate. 

Apparently her charade was convincing. Everyone who passed her by thought she was either a cripple or an old woman. When she left the city to a wide open field, she threw all caution to the wind and ran. 

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Kuzu Ryusen- part of learning the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu succession technique; it is a combination of the nine basic kenjutsu strikes, making it impossible for the opponent to avoid the strikes. 

Liv: I'm making stuff sound like a game? 

Cloud: ? 

Liv: HP Plus materia? Kenshin doesn't have HP! 

Cloud: Liv... 


	12. Lies and Deception

Disclaimer: Need I say? ;) 

***** 

Destiny's Call - 12   
By: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

Kenshin raced over to the crowd near the entrance of the Cosmo Canyon. Excitement was filling him...until he couldn't hold it much longer. "KAORU-DONO!!!" 

The crowd broke up revealing a woman who seemed to have fought her way to Cosmo Canyon. "Kenshin!!!" She shouted back. Setting all her pain aside, she rushed towards Kenshin and threw herself to his arms. "Kenshin!" 

"Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin whispered back, happy to have the woman with him again. "I was so worried...I was SO worried..." He didn't want to let go. 

"Kenshin..." Kaoru spoke. "Back in that treacherous building, I prayed to the gods to let me live...so I could see your face one more time." She choked as she began to cry. 

"Daijoubu de gozaru yo, Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin whispered. "...aishiteru..." 

_Her ki... It's different..._

"Aishiteru...Kenshin..." Kaoru tightened her embrace as tears fell down to Kenshin's gi. 

Cloud slowed down finally catching up with Kenshin. 

Yahiko's emotion was unexplainable happiness. "BUSU!!!" 

Kaoru's teary eyes turned to Yahiko. She smirked. "Baka..." 

"BUSU-CHAN!!!" Yahiko dropped his weapon and rushed over to Kaoru and hugged her tightly hiding his face on her kimono. He ignored the tears that formed in his eyes. "You're okay!!!" 

"I know..." Kaoru was laughing. "Someone helped me out..." 

"Who??" Yahiko's face lifted. He wanted to thank whoever this someone is. 

"He said his name is Zack." Kaoru turned around to the approaching man. 

Zack stopped in his steps and nodded with a smile to Yahiko. "Hey," 

Kenshin smiled at Zack. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Zack-san..." 

"Um...what's that supposed to mean?" 

Yahiko laughed and wiped away his tears. "Kenshin and I are thanking you for bringing Busu back." He felt a soft hit on his head. "Itai!" He rubbed his head and heard Zack laugh.

_But she acts like her... _Kenshin thought to himself. _Something's not right..._

"I see..." Zack turned his attention from Yahiko to a man at the back. "Hello, again...Cloud..." 

"Nanda..." Yahiko spoke. "You're..." 

"We're old friends." 

Kenshin turned from Zack to Cloud, whose eyes were almost as big as dinner plates and mouth was open. "Kuraudo-san..." 

Cloud couldn't speak, let alone move. He was seeing the man who he thought was dead. The man who the heartless SOLDIER shot on the cliff near Midgar. He had taken his weapon and left his body to rot. "Z...Zack..." 

Even Sephiroth was surprised... 

***** 

"Auntie Elmyra! Auntie Elmyra!!" A young child with brown hair entered the house and pulled the skirt of her caretaker. "Auntie Elmyra, you have to look!" 

"What is it, dear?" Elmyra Gainsborough switched off the faucet and wiped her wet hands on her apron while looking at the child. 

"Someone's outside!" 

"Marlene, what is it?" 

"Someone's lying outside!!" 

"Oh my, what could have happened?" Elmyra calmly left her home followed by Marlene Wallace. 

Outside was a crowd near the inn. It began to break when Elmyra entered the scene. 

"My goodness!" Elmyra knelt beside the woman whose face was kissing the ground. "Miss, are you all right?" 

There was no response. 

Elmyra stood up and faced the crowd. "I'll take her to my home. Don't worry." She watched the crowd return to their homes putting all their trust on Elmyra. 

One man stayed and offered his assistance of carrying the stranger into Elmyra's home. Elmyra nodded. "Thank you." 

***** 

**_She escaped..._**

"Yes...she did..." Hojo answered while looking at the empty cell. "Forgive me, Jenova..." 

**_Apologies accepted..._**

Hojo turned around looking strangely at the form. "W, what?" 

**_What does she take me for? A fool? Ha!_**

Hojo was weirded out. What could Jenova have done this time? 

**_That hole she used to escape...I placed it there..._**

"You what?" 

**_Let her suffer as she struggles to inform her beloved about our plans...I'd like to see her suffer...and lose..._**

Hojo did not speak. He wanted to listen more. 

**_Sagara is a fool...I have just convinced him to bring me the boy later night...within three nights, the boy will succumb to me...and the pathetic woman will come by the next hour..._**

"What about Cloud, Jenova?" 

**_Zack will kill him..._**

"And if Zack does not kill him within three nights?" 

**_Both he and Strife will die...and the Cetra will be mine for the taking..._**

Hojo revealed an evil smile as the form laughed maniacally. "You are truly brilliant, Jenova..." 

***** 

"How...how did you..." 

"Managed to live?" Zack continued Cloud's sentence. They were alone in the inn. "I woke up after a long comatose. It was then that I learned that I'm in Mideel. The people there told me some guy from that town saw me and brought me to his home where I was aided. I have tons of scars in my body." 

"But they shot you like mad!" 

"That's not like you, Cloud." Zack pretended to be hurt. "You want your best friend dead? I can't believe you!" He pouted. 

Cloud slowly wore a smile. "You're still that easy going guy I know..." 

Zack's pouting face soon wore a smile. 

The two friends burst out to laughter. Cloud stood up and hugged his friend. "Damn it! I missed you so much!" 

"Yeah?" Zack patted his 'little brother'. "Well you got me worried sick! On my rest in Mideel, you made me think of bad stuff that could have happened to you!" 

"Well, I'm all right, Zack." Cloud sat beside him. "But...going back to the question, how did you live despite all the bullets you received?" 

"Oh, some I missed. Never thought of that, didn't you??" Zack smiled at him challengingly. He laughed when the younger man scratched his head. Still laughing, he rested his left hand on Cloud's shoulders. "As for that time the soldier shot me face to face, it was only my limbs that were hit, not really my vital parts...so, how've you been?" 

"Oh, me?" Cloud faced Zack. "I've been doing okay, lately. What happened to me months ago...you...wouldn't wanna know." 

Zack laughed again. "I can't say I have all the time." 

Cloud smile...happy Zack was still that laughing officer he knew. 

"So..." Zack crept closer to Cloud and whispered. "How's Aeris?" 

"Oh, her? She's um...she's doing great, yeah!" 

"You've been hitting on her lately, right?" 

"What?! Me?? Ahhhh..." Cloud looked away from Zack looking for an answer. _Goodness gracious! This is her first love!!_ Then again, there was that friendly laugh. "Huh?" She turned to Zack. "You're...laughing?" 

Zack laughed on. "Cloud!" He finally silenced down. "Aeris is not a fool to wait for a dead guy to come back! She has to move on!" He punched Cloud softly. "I'm glad you were there for her." 

A smile slowly formed on Cloud's face. "Heh...well, yeah. We're...you know..." 

"Hahaha! Still young at heart, aren't ya?" Zack smiled at Cloud. He heard knocks on the door and a creek. Looking at it, he saw Aeris peeking. 

"You...wanted to see me?" Aeris asked meekly. 

Zack nodded. 

Cloud stood up. "Hey, ummm..." He walked backwards to the door. "I'll...leave you two alone." He hadn't noticed he already bumped into Aeris. "Oh, whoops! Sorry." He stepped aside allowing Aeris to enter before he left while waving. 

Aeris giggled while waving. "Bye..." 

"Aeris..." 

Aeris turned around and saw Zack already standing. "Zack...!" She whispered before she took Zack into her arms and buried her face on his chest. "Zack...!!" 

Zack embraced Aeris back and smoothed her hair. "It's okay, Aeris...it's okay..." His innocent face slowly wore an evil smile. 

**_Cetra..._**

***** 

Cloud climbed his way to the canyon where he and Aeris had a romantic experience yesterday. 

"Strife." 

"Huh?" Cloud noticed the silver haired man looking at him on the canyon. 

"I knew you'd come back to this spot..." 

***** 

"So, what is it?" 

"Zack." Sephiroth said stoically while he stood behind the seated man. 

"Zack?" Cloud lifted his head to look at Sephiroth. "What about him?" 

"I'll be frank to you." Sephiroth bent his neck to face Cloud. "I don't trust him." 

"Don't trust him? What do you mean?" Cloud's eyes followed Sephiroth who sat beside him. "He was your most trusted officer before." 

"I'm glad you said 'before'." Sephiroth's snake eyes met with Cloud's huge blue ones. "There is a big difference between before and now. I don't want to be judgmental. I just want to warn you." 

"Sephiroth," Cloud fixed his seating position to face Sephiroth in an easier manner. "I know we're not alone--" 

"Watch your back." With that, Sephiroth disappeared into flashes of light that disappeared into the sky. 

***** 

The same green ring surrounded Kaoru as her pony-tailed hair was blown by the wind. She moved her wooden sword upward slowly with her right hand and slashed downwards causing an explosion of electrical energy to finish off a robot she encountered.

Vincent was surprised as to how Kaoru managed to destroy such enemy with a mere Bolt 1. _This was only the first time she had used materia..._

Kaoru stood still. She began to move dizzily and fell backwards. 

"Kaoru-dono." Kenshin, who was beside Vincent, came just in time and caught Kaoru before she could hit the ground. "Daijoubu?" 

"Hai...tsukareta dake..." Kaoru admitted while she held her forehead and closed her eyes. "It's throbbing..." 

"I'll take you to your room." Kenshin carried Kaoru into his arms, like she was his new wife. 

"Kenshin!" Kaoru called immediately. "Please...stay with me?" She begged with pleading eyes. 

Kenshin nodded. "Aa de gozaru." He walked towards Cosmo Canyon leaving Vincent alone...replaying the event of Kaoru's spell casting. 

***** 

"Kenshin...Kenshin..." 

"Auntie Elmyra! Auntie Elmyra! She's saying something!!" Marlene jumped up and down when the dirty woman spoke of a word...or a name, mayhaps. 

"Tasukete...!" 

"My goodness, what is she saying?" Elmyra rushed over to her room. 

Kaoru was perspiring, her hands held tightly on the quilt while her head turned left and right. "Onegai...tasukete..." 

"Miss..." Elmyra nudged the woman bending slightly. 

"Kenshin...!" 

"Miss." 

"Tasukete..." 

"Miss, wake up!" 

"Yamete!!!" 

Marlene shrieked when the woman woke up and shouted at Elmyra. 

Kaoru panted, calming down from the nightmare. "...d, doko..." 

"M, Miss..." Elmyra called again. "Are you all right?" Somehow, she wished the stranger would understand her. 

Kaoru nodded slowly. "H, hai..." She shut her eyes and opened them again. "Yes...I'm okay..." 

"Thank God..." Elmyra sighed in relief. Happy that the woman is okay and that she can understand her. 

"W, where am I?" 

"You're in Kalm." Elmyra answered. "We found you lying by the entrance. Marlene here informed me about you." 

"Mm-hmm!" Marlene nodded with a wide smile. 

"Oh...I see..." Kaoru smiled gently at Marlene. "I'm sorry...did I shout at you?" 

"That's okay. I can understand." 

Kaoru laughed very softly. "I'm very sorry...I was have a bad dream..." 

"We're used to that..." Elmyra stood straight and turned around looking away. "My daughter told me of her nightmares when she was still young..." 

"Really?" Kaoru saw Elmyra nod. "Who's your daughter?" She asked. She wanted to sit so as not to be a disrespect to the woman. But her head aches. 

"She's a flower lady! I know her!" Marlene bragged joyfully. 

Elmyra sighed. "Her name is Aeris Gainsborough. She's with her friends now, she said she'll stop the upcoming threat and come back when it's done..." 

"E, Eirisu-san??" Kaoru spat sitting up. "You're Eirisu-san's mother??" 

Elmyra turned around, surprised Kaoru knows her. "You know Aeris??" 

Kaoru nodded. "We're good friends. She helped me and my friends when we stumbled into this strange world." 

"You know flower lady!" Marlene rejoiced. "Then maybe you've met Papa?" 

Kaoru turned to Marlene. "Maybe...who's your papa?" 

"He's a very big man! He loves to carry me on his shoulder! Have you seen him?"

_Very big man..._

"Barret-san?!" 

"You know my Papa!" Marlene jumped up and down. "Is he okay??" 

Kaoru was bewildered as to how a dark colored man could have a daughter that has a very different skin tone from him. More over, she is surprised that Barret HAS a wife! "He's...okay..." 

Marlene showed a rather sad face. "Are you sure...?" 

"Oh!" Kaoru shook her head with a small smile. "I'm just surprised that...Barret-san has a daughter...yes. He's doing very well." 

"Really??" Marlene began to smile again. 

"Yes!" Kaoru nodded. "I don't remember seeing him hurt." 

"Yay!!! Then Papa was right! He said he'd be okay!!" 

"Ummm...miss..." 

Kaoru turned to Elmyra with a questioning look. "What is it?" 

Elmyra stuttered. "W, what about...my daughter?" 

Kaoru smiled once more. "I'm sure Kuraudo-san is taking good care of her..." 

***** 

"Sano! Are you totally sure about this? It's so cold out here!!" 

"Che! Of course I am!" Sano was running outside Cosmo Canyon, now with Yahiko. "She said she wants ta meet you!" 

Yahiko groaned. "I hope this is good..." 

Sano stopped from his run once he is sure that they are far away from the town. "Elizabeth??" 

"Elizabeth? What kinda name is that?" Yahiko asked sarcastically. He received a soft hit from Sano. "Itai...!" He rubbed his head while Sano went on looking for Elizabeth. 

"Sano?" 

"Huh?" Sano turned around and saw the woman hiding behind the canyons. "There you are, why are you hiding?" He approached the woman who left her hiding place shyly. 

"I'm...afraid of crowds..." 

"No one's here but us and Yahiko..." Sano held Elizabeth's arms. 

"Yahiko?" Elizabeth looked around. "You mean the boy?" 

"Yup!" Sano nodded and turned to Yahiko who was just staring at them. "Yahiko-chan! Come over here!" 

"DON'T CALL ME CHAN!!!" Was Yahiko's usual reply. 

"Shhh! They'll hear you!" Sano reminded the boy who sighed and approached them. He turned to Elizabeth. "That's Myoujin Yahiko." 

"Oh, I see..." Elizabeth smiled and nodded at Yahiko. "Hi, I'm Elizabeth."

Yahiko was in awe of Elizabeth's face. _She's beautiful..._

**_In the 3rd night...the boy will join me..._**

- End of Part 12 -   
  


El terms: 

1. materia - a small spheric object (much like a gem) that when equipped, enables the holder to cast any spell it (materia) holds. It comes in different flavors-- colors! Green is for magic (earth, fire, bolt, ice, et al), yellow is for command (slash-all, double cut, death blow, enemy skill, et al), purple is for independent (HP Plus, MP Plus, long range, counter attack, et al), blue is for support (all, elemental, sneak attack -- I didn't get not even know this, HP absorb, et al), and finally, the most superior among all the materias is the red one or the summon materia. It enables you to summon Shiva, Ifrit, the Knights of the Round, Bahamut, et al... for more info for materia (and FF7 for that matter) go to http://www.ffwa.org/ff7/index.html.   
2. Hai...tsukareta dake... - Yes...just tired...   
3. Kalm - a town (very peaceful one) northeast of Midgar.   
4. Cosmo Canyon - Red XIII's hometown. It's somewhere near...Nibelheim. Just cross the stream and pass the forests, you should see a town on top of a canyon.   
5. tasukete - help (me) 

Liv: And while I was scanning through the materias in ffnet.net, I never knew how MUCH I missed! 

Cloud: What do you mean? You said you're satisfied with your materias! 

Liv: May I stress: MUCH 

Cloud: Eh? 

Liv: I CAN'T believe, that the most WORTHLESS materia I bought is sold for BLOODY 700,000 GIL!!! 

Cloud: What?! You mean the Exit Materia?! 

Liv: YES!!! The thing that is used to escape the battles! It costs SO MUCH, I could have SOLD it and bought that friggin' villa in Costa del Sol! 

Cloud: You mean that 300,000 Gil Shinra Villa?? 

Liv: YES! And with 400, 000 Gil left, think of all the stuff we could have done in Gold Saucer! 

Cloud: I...think you were thinking of using 400,000 Gil to feed the Chocobos... 

Liv: ...oh...BUT STILL! 

Onna: *sighs* 


	13. Revelations and Suspicions

Disclaimer: Like we keep saying, WE DON'T OWN THEM! 

Kenshin: Oro?! *covers ears*

********** 

"Elmyra-san," Kaoru said as she rose to her feet. "I need to go to Rocket Town and find them. They're in grave danger!" 

"How so?" 

"It's hard to explain. I just need to get to Rocket Town!"

"But, dear, it's late. You need your rest. Go on and get some sleep, and we'll take you to Rocket Town tomorrow."

"Demo...!"

"But you HAVE to sleep!" Marlene exclaimed as she tugged on her kimono. "Want me to tell you a bedtime story? Papa always tells me one."

Kaoru sighed and decided to listen to them. "All right," she said, smiling as she headed for the bathroom.

Kenshin sat with his back against the wall, sleeping fitfully. His sword was leaning against his shoulder, ready to strike should any strange sounds reach his ear.

_Squeak!_ he heard from within the room. It sounded like Kaoru had risen from her bed and walked out of the room. He stayed still, pretending to be asleep, feeling her kneel in front of him. He felt her push his hair from his face back roughly, and it was he could do not to wince from pain.

"Ahhh... Kenshin," she whispered in a voice that made his blood run cold. "You are just so easy to fool aren't you?"

_Something isn't right with you, Kaoru... iya... you're not Kaoru..._ he thought, sensing a very different ki. Kaoru's was always gentle, and kind, a ki that could bring a smile to his face.

This one... he could feel it was sinister... almost evil...

"If you only knew what happened to your beloved," she continued. "You should've been there to see her pain. The way she cried out when Hojo stuck that needle into her and created me."

_Kaoru... Kaoru... Iie..._

"Well, he can't hurt her anymore... Your woman has escaped, probably to warn you about me... Well, it won't work. As long as you think I'm her, your woman's efforts are doomed to fail..."

He felt her rise and move back to the bed, the hairs on his neck rising. _Kuraudo-san should know about this... Iie... I have to know what she's planning first... she could lead me to the real Kaoru..._

_But I should be on my guard for anything she says, could be leading us into a trap... I should try to get the team to do the opposite of what she suggests..._

Kenshin's eyes turned amber behind his closed lids, thinking of the clone's words.

_Hojo... I'll secure your place in hell..._

"You look so much like my brother," Elizabeth smiled as she ruffled Yahiko's hair. "He would have been your age if he had lived."

Yahiko's eyes softened. "I'm sorry..."

"It's all right. I know he's in a better place," she said softly. "What's this?" She pulled out his bamboo sword.

"Oh! That's my shinai!" Yahiko said proudly. "I'm training under Busu."

"Busu?"

"Oh, you know," Sano said, clearly irked at the attention Elizabeth was giving Yahiko. "Kaoru. Jou-chan."

"You mean the girl with the ribbon?" she giggled.

"She's ugly, isn't she?" Yahiko grinned when she nodded. "You're really pretty."

Elizabeth blushed. "Thank you... Care to show me your moves?"

Yahiko nodded eagerly and went into his swings, Sano muttering in the background.

"Miss Kaoru!" Marlene cried as she opened the door to her room. "It's time to wake up!"

Kaoru opened her eyes, smiling as they fell on the bouncy young girl. "Ohayou, Marlene-chan."

The little girl giggled. "You talk funny."

"Marlene!" Elmyra cried, horrified at the comment.

Kaoru laughed. "Do I? Where I come from, everyone talks like this."

"Really?" Marlene giggled again as she tugged at a lock of Kaoru's hair. "I like you better when you talk funny."

Kaoru chuckled as she tickled Marlene's foot, eliciting delighted laughter. "Then you should meet my friends. You will like them." 

Marlene's eyes sparkled excitedly. "Are they in Rocket Town?"

Kaoru nodded.

"Can I come?"

"No, Marlene, I'm afraid your Papa would want you to stay here," Elmyra said. "Miss Kaoru, a friend of mine will take you to Rocket Town, but it'll take him a day to get here. And it will take another day for you to reach Rocket Town."

"A day?!" Kaoru cried. "By then it will be too late!"

"We'd better keep moving," Cloud said, nodding towards Kenshin. "Now that we got Kaoru back, we should concentrate on beating Jenova."

Sephiroth nodded silently, still warily eyeing Zack.

"Splitting up would be a good idea," the clone Kaoru piped up. "We'll cover more ground that way."

"Makes sense," Cloud mused.

"I agree," Red XIII nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed but he remained silent. He thought about speaking up against her idea, but his instincts told him to let her be for the meantime.

What was her plan? What did she want with them?

And where's the real Kaoru? 

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Ohayou- Good morning 


	14. Splitting Up

Disclaimer: Um...does anybody have the font used in all Final Fantasy logos? 

Cloud: ...*sigh* Neither Liv nor Onna owns any of us, anyway...

Onna: Darn right we don't!

Kenshin: Oro...

Kaoru: *fighting with clone Kaoru* 

***** 

Destiny's Call - 14   
By: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

"Okay! Everybody, listen up!" Cloud's voice boomed. Everyone was seated around the Cosmo Candle except him who was standing. "Like Kaoru said, we're gonna split up. And if there are two places I would suspect to be related to Jenova, it'd be the Northern Crater and the Promised Land." 

"The snowy fields?!" Cid exclaimed. 

Cloud nodded. 

"&%& man! It's &%^&ing COLD there!" 

"I know. But there's a very big possibility that Jenova is waiting for us near the heart of Planet." 

"This planet has a heart?" Sano was weirded out. 

"For starters, yes. It's where we fought Sephiroth." Cloud turned to the tall man. "We last saw him draining the very life of Planet. It's just the energy that Jenova needs." 

Sephiroth groaned. Somehow, he didn't want to be reminded of the 'stupidity' he had done. 

"The Promised Land is also a good source of energy. It's flourished with never-been-touched Mako energy. It's also where we found Sephiroth in his Mako egg." 

"What are you getting at, Strife?" Sephiroth asked. "Are you telling them these facts so I would feel sorry?" 

"That's not it, Sephiroth." Cloud turned to him. "But I'm glad you asked why." 

"I see that my presence is a must." 

"These two places are very well related to you. With you in either, we will somehow take a step closer to defeating Jenova." 

"Very well, how?" 

Cloud shrugged. "Ask yourself, you claimed to be Jenova's son." 

Sephiroth snarled. "Bastard." 

"Hey!" Tifa interrupted immediately. "This isn't the time for a hero-villain argument." She looked at both men. "So. Cloud." She faced her friend. "What could be Sephiroth's importance in the Northern Crater?" 

"Well, I was thinking that he could open the way into the heart of Planet." Cloud continued. "But somehow, that might not be necessary, anymore. As for the Promised Land, the place might react to his presence." 

"As to how you explained your hypotheses, my path seems to lead back to the crater." Sephiroth decided. 

"I'll try and asked my ancestors for help." Aeris spoke. "I'll be heading for the Promised Land." 

"In that case, I'm with her." Zack raised his hand. 

"On second thought, the Promised Land seems to need me." 

Everyone turned to Sephiroth in confusion. 

"But...Sephiroth..." Cloud spoke. "I thought you--" 

"If Jenova senses that they are in the Northern Crater, then he will let them enter and meet him." Sephiroth interrupted. "The WEAPONs are also a danger." 

"What?! But the WEAPONs are--" 

"Jenova is alive." Sephiroth interrupted once more. "If he is alive, there is a big possibility that these WEAPONs are with him." 

Cloud silenced. He didn't know what to answer. "...The Promised Land...that's where I'm going." 

"I'm coming with you, Cloud!" Tifa stood up. 

Cloud nodded. "Who else?" 

"There's NO WAY I'm returning to that creepy crater!" Yuffie spoke next. 

"So, we have Yuffie with us...would anyone else want to come?" Cloud looked at everybody. Then to the woman in kimono. "Kaoru?" 

Kaoru shook her head. "My instincts tell me that I have to go to the crater." 

"All right, then. Does that mean Kenshin is coming along?" 

"Aa de gozaru." Kenshin nodded. "I can't let anything happen to Kaoru-dono, anymore." 

"We're with them!" Sano and Yahiko held each other by the shoulder. 

"Cid and I will take good care of them." Vincent said. "The monsters in the crater are vicious." 

Sano and Yahiko gulped. 

Vincent turned to the boys. "Backing out?" 

"Uh, what? Us??" Yahiko shook his head. "No way! We're staying with Busu and Kenshin!" 

Kaoru took her weapon and slammed it on Yahiko's head. 

"ITAI!" Yahiko rubbed his head while Sano laughed. 

Cloud looked at Cait Sith. "Where do you go?" 

"I...think I'd like to help them." Cait Sith pointed to Kaoru. 

Cloud nodded. *That's very brave of you Cait Sith.* He clapped his hands once. "The party for Northern Crater will leave earlier than my party! It's farther away from the Promised Land. And besides, I still have to fetch other Chocobos." 

"Wha??" Yuffie raised an eyebrow. "I don't get it!" 

"I'll take the Gold Chocobo to the ranch and come back with our ocean and mountain Chocobos. The Northern Crater party will wait for us in Icicle Inn. Once we arrive, they'll take all the Chocobos they need, two people on one animal. You should also leave two Chocobos for us." 

"That doesn't seem to fit your needs." Cid realized. 

"I can teach Sephiroth to ski." 

"I can fly, thank you." Sephiroth immediately said. A few smirks and giggles were heard. Seriously, the thought of Sephiroth skiing is very funny and impossible. 

***** 

"Ms. Kaoru!" Marlene knocked on the door. "Ms. Kaoru, I have your lunch!" 

"Coming!" 

Marlene took steps backward as the door opened. "Tada!" She presented a tray of meal she helped Elmyra do. 

"Oh my, that looks delicious." Kaoru bent looking at the tray. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Marlene-chan!" 

Marlene giggled once more. 

"Kaoru!" 

"Huh?" Kaoru stood straight to see Elmyra coming. "What is it, Elmyra-san?" 

"I just came to tell you that my friend is coming by 2330H." 

"Excuse me?" 

"Oh! I'm sorry." Elmyra hit her forehead with her palm. "I meant he would arrive by 11:30 pm. I hope you can wait that long." 

"That's near midnight...!" 

"Ms. Kaoru," Marlene tugged on her dress again. "It's better than nothing, right?" 

Kaoru gave a small smile. "Hai...I guess so..." 

***** 

"Good luck, Ken." 

Kenshin nodded. "Hai! You, too, Kuraudo-san." He was already seated on the Chocobo with Kaoru holding onto his waist. 

"Thanks." Cloud, on the other hand, was seated on his Gold Chocobo. 

"Kuraudo-san," Kaoru spoke. "Thank you for all the help." 

Cloud nodded. "You're welcome." 

"Are we all set?" Vincent waddled over to Kenshin on his and Cid's Chocobo. He received a nod. He turned to Cloud. "Strife, take care of yourself." 

"You, too." 

Vincent gestured for his Chocobo to turn around. "Let's go! Giddy!" Together with his party, they left for Icicle Inn.

Cloud watched them go. _Well, it's time for me to leave._

"Giddy!" 

- End of Part 14 -   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Terms: 

1. Northern Crater - Final battle place.   
2. The Promised Land - said to be a land that promises endless happiness. For Cetras only. 

Liv: Well, that was rather short. 

Cloud: This part is actually the shortest you've written for the story. 

Liv: ...praise me? 

Cloud: No. 

Liv: Damn...

Onna and Kaoru: ^^;;

Kenshin: -_-x;; 


	15. Race Against Time

Disclaimer: NOT OURS!!! 

Kenshin: Oro...

Kaoru: *pats Kaoru clone*

Kaoru-kuron: *cries*

Cloud: Awww...now, now, Kaoru clone...

Kaoru: ^^;;

Kenshin: O_Ox

Onna: For crying out loud...!

Liv: *swallows Kenshin-bug*

Kenshin: Oro?!

********** 

"Miss Kaoru," Elmyra called. "Your ride to Rocket Town is here."

"Hai," Kaoru squeezed Marlene's hand. "I'll tell your Papa what a good girl you are."

"Can't I come with you, Miss Kaoru?"

Kaoru shook her head. "Gomen nasai, but your Papa did tell you to stay here. You be a good girl and do what Papa says, okay?"

Marlene nodded, smiling brightly. "Tell Papa I miss him."

"I will," Kaoru nodded as she climbed onto the truck. "Ja ne!" she called as soon as the engine started.

"Bye!" Marlene cried, waving one chubby arm.

Kenshin dropped a few more logs into the fire to keep them warm throughout the night. He could already hear Sano and Yahiko's snores from their tent, Kaoru sleeping in hers.

Still keeping an eye on her tent, he leaned against a tree, settling himself for sleep.

But his thoughts kept him awake.

_Sephiroth-san seemed suspicious of Zack-san_, he thought. _Not that I blame him. His ki is also very strange. So evil, and yet I sense a trace of good._

He heard a faint sound to his right, and he opened his eyes to see through his red hair.

A young woman was walking in the night, her black hair blowing in some unfelt wind. _She's not friendly, _he thought, violet eyes narrowing unseen behind the red curtain. _Her ki... pure evil..._

Another slight movement caught his eye, and Kaoru emerged from her tent, approaching the woman. They weren't too far away, his senses alert to anything.

"Is everything going according to plan?" the woman hissed, blue eyes glinting evilly.

Kaoru bowed. "Yes, Lord Jenova. No one suspects a thing."

"Good," she murmured, eliciting an evil laugh. "This is the second night... I'll have the boy by the third. In the meantime, make sure that the scarred man thinks you're his beloved. Knowing her, she'll be trying to get back to Rocket Town to find him and warn him about our plans."

"And the others?"

"Zack will take care of them, then I will have the Cetra girl..."

"Yes, Lord Jenova."

Both figures then retreated, Kaoru returning to her tent. Soon, the woman disappeared as well. Kenshin lifted his head, his amber eyes showing his anger and panic.

_Rocket Town... Kaoru... will you find us in time?_

_And how will I tell Kuraudo-san?_

"They're not here!" Kaoru cried early the next morning, panicking. "They're gone!"

"Miss...!" the truck driver said, calling her. "I can get you to wherever they're headed, but you have to find out first."

"H-Hai..." Kaoru nodded, looking around for anything to tell her where they are. She then heard whispers of the women in the town.

"That man with the blonde hair and huge sword, I heard they were going to the Promise Land."

"Promise Land? Aren't only Cetras allowed to go there?"

"As a matter of fact, I heard that they had a Cetra girl with them. You know, the flower seller in Midgar."

"And that man with the red hair and cross scar?"

The woman shrugged. "They split up and are headed for the Northern Crater, near the Promise Land. I don't why they are doing this..."

Kaoru ran back to the truck. "Ojiisan!!!"

"Yes, miss?"

"Please take me to the Northern Crater!" 

********** 

Jap Terms:

1. Ojiisan - grandfather; used by young people speaking to strangers older than they are 


	16. Quiet Interludes

Disclaimer: RK and FF7 are not ours. 

Note: The start is the POV of the party for the Promised Land. 

***** 

Destiny's Call - 16   
By: Liv (LGStrife) 

Yuffie's eyes were half open as she waited for Cloud to return with the other Chocobos. She was too sleepy to realize that her head had landed on Tifa's shoulder. 

Tifa turned to Yuffie and gave no violent reaction. "Go on and sleep, Yuffie. I'll wake you up when Cloud comes back." 

Yuffie nodded and closed her eyes. 

Tifa smile and turned to Aeris who was just staring at the Cosmo Candle. "Um...Aeris?" 

"Oh!" Aeris' attention quickly changed from the fire to Tifa. "What is it?" She had to adjust to the lighting, though. 

"Do me a favor? Check on the entrance, will you?" 

"Yeah," Aeris pushed herself to stand up and left. 

Tifa watched the Cetra jog farther from them. She sighed. _It's been almost 2 hours. I feel like we're only wasting our time, here..._ Her heads was slightly bowed. She was beginning to feel drowsy. 

"Tifa!" 

"Huh?" Tifa woke up again and searched for Aeris. "Where...oh! There you are." She saw the woman waving. "What is it??" 

"Cloud's back!" 

Tifa sighed in relief. "Hallelujah!" She nudged Yuffie awake who made undistinguishable moans. "Hey, Cloud's back." 

"Huh...? Cloud's what?" Yuffie looked around with still drowsy eyes. She felt a sudden sting when Tifa hit her with her palm. "OW!!! Would you watch it?!" She snorted and rubbed the hit spot. 

Tifa stood up and jogged over to Cloud upon seeing him arriving with Aeris. "We were waiting for 2 hours!" 

"Sorry, I only have our Gold Chocobo to travel." Cloud caught Tifa in a short hug. "You missed me, didn't you?" 

Tifa nodded with a smile. "Yuffie's coming." 

Cloud looked behind Tifa. "Oh is she?" 

Tifa turned around to see Yuffie still pouting over her hit. "Yuffie, c'mon!" 

"You hit me too hard, Tifa!" Yuffie spat. "Now lemme ease the pain!" 

"Tifa, what did you do?" Tifa turned around to Cloud. "I had to wake her up!" She reasoned. 

Cloud shook his head with a smile. "Never mind...the others?" 

"Sephiroth is having a talk with Zack. Red is waving good-bye to his friends." 

"That's weird...I haven't heard from Red XIII awhile ago..." Cloud scratched his head. 

"He wasn't with us, remember?" Tifa answered. "I think he was sleeping still. But he doesn't have anymore choice but to come with us." 

"Yeah..." Cloud turned around to Aeris. "Hey, could you fetch Red? I'll call Sephiroth and Zack." 

Aeris nodded and left for Red XIII's home. 

Tifa was looking at Aeris. 

"As for you," 

"Huh?" Tifa turned to Cloud. "Yeah?" 

"Get on a Chocobo with Yuffie. You've done your job by waiting." 

Tifa smirked. "All right." 

***** 

"So...you mean to tell me...that you're actually doubting me?" Sephiroth heard Zack ask while they were on the canyon Cloud usually is on. Zack's back was turned. "I'm not saying anything like that. All I'm saying is that it's a bit bizarre to see another dead person come to life." He folded his arms. 

"But you were asking me of my motives." Zack turned around with an insulted look at Sephiroth. "I thought you trusted me--" 

"I did." Sephiroth answered. "I'm just asking you what prompted you to help us in this very dangerous mission." 

Zack sighed and shook his head. "It's Aeris and Cloud." 

"What about them?" 

"I...I felt like I have a need to protect them." 

"Cloud seems to be handling himself pretty well. He should be able to handle Aeris as well." 

"Yeah, I know..." Zack laughed while he spoke. He turned to him with a small smile. "I find it weird, too...but...there's always this...feeling in me...you know...kinda like an elder brother to his younger one." 

Sephiroth nodded. 

"Hey!!!" 

Sephiroth turned to wherever the voice came from and looked down. "Strife." He watched the man wave. "I'll meet you down there." His feet left the ground as he flew towards Cloud. 

Zack wore a frown on his face. 

***** 

Cloud watched Sephiroth until he was face to face with him. "What were you and Zack talking about?" 

"A little army memories." Sephiroth made his way to the entrance where Aeris and Red XIII are joining Tifa and Yuffie. 

Cloud watched the man ignore him so simply. "Hmp, never changed at all..." He heard pebbles moving and looked at the man who was climbing down. 

"Um...some help here?" Zack turned around to Cloud with his head. "Thanks." He watched the man approach him and assist him down. "Ah! That's better." He dusted his wear. "What took you so long?" 

"You have NO idea how wide Planet is, Zack." 

"Oh tell me about it!" Zack laughed and accompanied Cloud to the Chocobos. 

***** 

"It's late." The man waiting for them by the inn said. Cloud was on his Gold Chocobo with Aeris as they climbed towards the town. "Sorry about that, Vincent." 

"Nothing to worry about that, Strife." Vincent approached them and helped them off. "I see Zack has all the privileges." He smiled at the man who got off his Black Chocobo. 

"Heh." Zack smiled. "No one to share my Chocobo with, Sir Sephiroth said he'd rather fly." 

"I sure am glad he didn't get blown away!" Cloud joked and laughed along with Zack while looking at Sephiroth who had landed. 

Sephiroth smirked. "Cherish your good moments while there is still time." 

"Sephiroth, Sephiroth..." Vincent shook his head and sighed. "So pessimistic now, are you? Get your rests, we'll start early." 

"Kenshin and company?" Cloud asked. 

"Sleeping." 

***** 

Or are they? 

"Wow! It really is cold here." Yahiko rubbed his arms for heat. 

"Colder than Tokyo!!" Sano agreed. 

"Are you sure Elizabeth is gonna meet us here??" 

"She never breaks her promises!" Sano felt a sudden shiver in his spine. "Wow!" He heard a giggle and turned around. 

Yahiko gave a happy smile and waved. "Elizabeth-neechan!" He rushed over to the smiling girl who had a violet sash on. 

"Hi!" Elizabeth waved at Yahiko while holding a bundle and a container. "I'm surprised my two friends are brave enough to come out the cold night without thick clothing!" She sat to face Yahiko right in the eyes. 

"Oh I didn't need one." Sano spoke and approached them. 

Elizabeth giggled. "Yeah, right! I saw you shudder." She stood up smiling sweetly at Sano. 

Sano smiled. "Heh, so you caught me red-handed?" 

"I guess so. Here, why don't your try the clothing I embroidered myself?" Elizabeth settled the container on the ground. She opened the bundle and handed two sashes. 

"OH WOW!" Yahiko took one immediately and wrapped it around his body. "So warm...!" He smiled at Elizabeth. "It smells good, too!" 

"Thank you, I made sure I sprinkled a little of my favorite perfume on it." 

Sano sniffed the clothing around him. "Wow, this is gonna promise me good night sleeps with this around." 

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, you're flattering me, Sano! Oh! I almost forgot." She bent to take the container and handed it to Sano. "I cooked this soup especially for you two." 

"For us??" Sano twisted the cup open. The aroma immediately wafted over to him. "It smells good, too." 

"Thank you." Elizabeth nodded. "Why don't we all sit down and talk?" 

"Oh! Did I tell you about how I beat this really mean and strong man??" 

"Really? Tell me about it!" 

"Sure! I even saved some girl from thugs. I took them down all by myself!" 

"That's wonderful! I'd love to hear more." 

**_And tomorrow...you will be mine..._**

***** 

"NORTHERN CRATER?!" The driver or Elmyra's friend exclaimed. "Are you nuts?!" 

Kaoru didn't know what to answer. "Please! Please, I NEED you help, Ojiisan!" 

"Oh I'd love to help a beautiful woman like you, miss. But you're crazy! Don't you know that there are a lot of monsters there??" 

"But--" 

"Do you ACTUALLY know Sephiroth??" 

Kaoru felt like she wanted to cry. "Ojiisan...please...take me anywhere close to it and I'll take it from there!" 

The driver sighed. "There's this place called Icicle Inn. It snows there and it never stops snowing. I can take you there." 

"Please!" 

"Then get in the truck, we're leaving." 

"Oh, thank you!!" 

***** 

Cloud dusted his ski board leaving the inn with it. It had been months since he touched it again. "Y'guys, ready?" He watched as everyone hopped onto their Chocobos. "Hey, Ken." 

"Aa?" Kenshin turned to Cloud as Kaoru rode behind him. 

"Take care of my Gold Chocobo, 'kay?" 

"Aa de gozaru yo." 

"Good." Cloud nodded with a smile. "Good luck." He turned to Red XIII. "I'll be going ahead now. You know where to go?" 

Red XIII nodded. 

"All right." Cloud waved to everyone before he left to the skiing point. 

Vincent watched Cloud disappear until he heard a 'Whoo hoo!!!'. He laughed softly. "That boy..." He looked at Sephiroth. "Take care." 

"You, too." Sephiroth said. 

Vincent turned around to his party, his Chocobo waddling. "That's our queue, giddy!" 

"Northern Crater, here we go again!! HEEHA!!!" Cid shouted as the others followed his and Vincent's Chocobo. He wanted to raise everyone's spirit up. 

Sephiroth floated in the air. "Strife will be finished with his fun now." He flew to where Cloud went and was followed by the Chocobos. 

***** 

Kaoru immediately leapt off the truck and rushed over to the town where people are looking northwards. "Excuse me," She tapped on a man. "Have you seen a man with a scarred cheek??" 

"OH! That strange guy?" The man pointed to his west. "They went that way. Heh...them crazy baffoons are gonna try and explore the Northern Crater, I think." 

"What??" Kaoru felt her heart sink. She was late again! "When did they leave??" 

"Just 5 minutes ago." 

"5 minutes ago?!" Kaoru felt hope rise. "There's still time!" She took a step. 

"WHOAH! Wait!" The man grabbed her arm. 

Kaoru turned around and pleaded. "Please! Let me go!" 

"Miss, I know this is urgent but this is very dangerous!" 

"I know!! But--" Kaoru was cut short when something hit her neck. 

The man caught the fainted woman in his arms. "Damn, didn't really wanna do that but I'm sorry...we gotta stop people from dying..." 

- End of Part 16 - 

No terms! XD 


	17. Losses and Gains

Onna: Mumble mumble... 

Kenshin: Oro... Onna-dono... *shakes Onna*

Onna: My kitchen... my food... my supplies... all gone... all eaten... destroyed... *cries*

Kenshin: Maa maa, Onna-dono...

Onna: *growls and brandishes mallet a la Tendo Akane from thin air* SANO, I'M GONNA KILL YOU FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *chases Sano waving mallet wildly*

Kenshin: Oroooooo!

Kaoru: *sighs* Onna and Liv don't own us RK people.

Aeris: Neither do they own us FF7 people.

Onna: SANOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo........!!!

Liv: XD *chases Sano as well*

Cloud: Should we help him out?

Tifa, Aeris and Kaoru: *glare*

Cloud: ^^;; Never mind...

********** 

Kenshin wrapped the overcoat Cid and Vincent provided around him tightly, his breath coming out in little puffs of smoke. The cold snow stung his cheeks, his hands, and the Chocobo he was riding was none too happy about the current situation.

"Maa maa..." he whispered to the creature, gently smoothing its feathers. "We'll be stopping soon."

"Wark!" it cried, obviously trying to ignore its discomfort. He also noticed that it often turned its head to glare at Kaoru, and he didn't blame the Chocobo.

Because if it was the real Kaoru, the Chocobo would definitely love her in an instant. Animals have very sharp instincts.

And this Chocobo wasn't the only one shooting daggers at the clone. 

"We'll stop here," Vincent said, jerking at the reins of his Chocobo. "Darkness is settling in, so we have to make camp."

"Hai de gozaru," Kenshin nodded as he jumped off the Chocobo, Kaoru following suit. Kenshin took it by the reins and led it to a nearby tree.

"Wark!" it cried as it rubbed its head affectionately on his shoulder. Kenshin chuckled and pulled out a handful of greens for it to feed on.

"You're suspecting her, aren't you?" he murmured softly as the Chocobo swallowed some of the food, his hand stroking its back. "I am too, but I want to find the real Kaoru first."

"Wark wark!" it cried as the other Chocobos approached to eat the greens. Kenshin pitched a nearby tent for their shelter, making sure there was an ample supply of food and water.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Aeris murmured, wrapping her cloak around her tighter.

Tifa nodded, keeping her eyes ahead. They narrowed when they came to Zack's back. _He seems very suspicious... he's supposed to be dead after all..._

_And if he was alive all this time, then why is it that he appeared only now?_

"We'll camp here," Cloud said, tugging on the reins. "Set up your tents, then gather around the fire to talk about what we're going to do."

Everyone got off their respective Chocobos to follow his instructions, and Tifa did not miss the crestfallen look on his face when Aeris and Zack left to set up their tents, their laughter ringing in the air.

Aeris squealed with laughter as Zack threw a snowball at her, the coldness stinging her cheeks. Retaliating, she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck dropping snow down the back of his shirt. He shouted at the cold and jumped, trying to rid himself of the snow. Aeris thought he looked so hilarious she leaned against a tree and laughed delightedly, her green eyes sparkling.

Zack chuckled as he finally shook all the snow out. "Just like old times. Right, Aeris?" 

Aeris nodded, smiling at him. "I missed you..."

"I missed you too, Pumpkin," he said as he leaned over to embrace her, her cheek pillowed against his chest.

She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of having Zack's arms around her again. But despite of her happiness with being reunited with Zack, one man's named tugged at the corner of her mind.

_Cloud..._

She thought no more when Zack's lips touched hers, not noticing the shock and sorrow that were in Cloud's blue eyes before he retreated into the shadows.

Kenshin looked up to the night sky, remembering the time he and Kaoru sat on the roof of Aoiya. The smile she gave him that night was one he would carry in his heart for the rest of his life. He longed to see that smile again, to hold her in his arms.

The clone one was trying all right, and if he didn't know better he could have been fooled to think she really was Kaoru.

But she wasn't.

_What the?_ Kenshin looked up to see a small figure staggering in the distance. _Yahiko! What in the world?_

He got up to run after him. "Yahiko! Yahiko!"

His loud calls woke Sano and the others, but he paid no heed. He ran to the boy, shaking him. "Yahiko! What's wrong?"

Yahiko turned blank red eyes to Kenshin. "I... must... go... to..."

"Sh*t!" Cid cursed. "What the %#*&^ hell is wrong with him!?"

"Yahiko!" Sano called, Kaoru behind him.

"Don't bother..." a woman's voice hissed. "He belongs to me..."

Kenshin looked up. It was the woman from the night before.

"Elizabeth?" Sano asked incredulously. "What are you doing?! What is going on here?!"

She laughed as Yahiko finally reached her. "Elizabeth? I don't think so!"

Sano watched horrified as her skin broke open, revealing a hideous creature with tentacles, floating in the air.

"Jenova!" Vincent yelled. "Give us back the boy!"

_**I don't think so... **_it hissed. _**With this boy, I will rule Planet... and nothing will stop me!**_

"We'll stop you!" Kenshin snapped. "Release him or you'll pay dearly!"

_**Correction... YOU will pay dearly...**_

Kenshin felt a white flash of pain and he howled as he fell to the ground.

_The clone...!_ he thought as he saw Kaoru run towards him, a dagger dripping with his blood held in her hand.

"Jou-chan! What are you doing?!"

"She's not Kaoru!" Kenshin yelled. "She's a clone!"

"A clone?!" Cait Sith yelped.

"So you figured me out..." she cackled. "Too bad. Looks like your woman didn't come on time."

_**And I no longer have any use for you...**_

Kenshin watched, eyes widening, as the clone burst into flames, her screams echoing in the air.

"Chikuso!!!" Sano cursed, running towards Jenova. "I'll get you for that!" He raised his fist to punch Jenova, who effortlessly avoided it.

_**Idiot...**_ One of his tentacles struck Sano and sent him flying back before casting Confuse on the others, rendering them incapable of attacking him. **_I have what I want... and it will do you good to stay away from me..._** Its glowing eyes rested on Kenshin. **_And you will join me soon as well..._** It shimmered into the air and disappeared.

"Yahiko!!!"

The first thing that registered in Kaoru's mind was the pain at the back of her neck. _Itai... where am I?_

She shot up, her hands flying to her mouth. _Kenshin...!_ She jumped out of bed and darted out the room, intending to begin her chase to the Northern Crater.

When she heard his unmistakable voice.

"Itai de gozaru..."

"Where's Aeris when you %#^*$ need her?!"

She ran down the stairs, to confirm for herself that he was there.

"Kenshin!"

"Kaoru...?" Kenshin's head snapped up, wondering if he was delirious. His violet eyes met hers, which were shining with unshed tears and happiness.

_Am I seeing things?_

"Jou-chan!" Sano cried.

"Sano...! Where's Yahiko?!" she moved closer until Cid placed his lance on her neck, eyes burning dangerously.

"What are you?"

"N-nani?"

"What are you?!!" he shouted. "Another clone to capture Kenshin?!!"

"Iie! I'm the real Kaoru!"

"That's what they all say!" he snarled before pressing the lance against her throat, drawing blood.

"You have to believe me...!" she choked out, her eyes trained on Kenshin.

_Her ki... kind... compassionate..._ he smiled and rose to place a hand on Cid's arm.

"It's her..." he murmured, smiling tenderly at Kaoru. "It's really her."

"How the &!@#$ do you know that?"

"Her ki... I recognize it."

"Her what?!"

"Explanations will come later, Pilot-boy..." Sano muttered as he pulled the lance from Kaoru's neck. If Kenshin says it's her, there's no use questioning.

"Kenshin..." she whispered before falling into his arms, sobbing.

"Kaoru... I thought... I thought..." Kenshin buried his face in her raven hair, inhaling her scent. _Gods..._

He missed her so much, and now she's back in his arms.

Where she belonged.

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, brushing away the tears. "Aishiteru, Kaoru..."

"Aishiteru..." she sobbed before he brought his face down, his lips claiming hers.

Zack smiled evilly as he rose from his place beside Aeris' sleeping form, taking his sword in his hand.

_Tonight... you will die, Cloud Strife..._

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Chikuso- Damn it

Onna: *still bashing Sano*

Kenshin and Kaoru: *still kissing*


	18. Blackmail

Disclaimer: That 

Cloud: What that? 

Liv: You know...that. 

Cloud: ...oh! That... 

Onna: *still kicking Sano's sorry butt* 

***** 

Destiny's Call - 18   
by: Liv (aka LGStrife) 

_"I'm sorry...I shouldn't be mad at you...I should understand...that you still love him..."_

_"Cloud..." Aeris whispered as the man held his weeping while they were in a dark cave. His back was turned, sword held in hand. Pebbles fell from the walls he slashed. "Cloud, let me explain."_

_"You don't need to explain, Aeris!" Cloud turned around with crying eyes. "I saw it right in front of my eyes! You were kissing each other! You didn't even care to tell him that we're together!"_

_"Cloud--"_   


_"That's enough, Aeris..." Cloud said. His crying sadness is visibly heard from his voice. "I just want to tell you...that you're revival...was the happiest gift Planet gave me...but I guess you weren't intended for me..." He turned around again to hide his tears._

_A tear dropped to the snowy land. Aeris didn't hold back her cry. "Cloud, you're hurting me!"_

_The voice and message echoed into Cloud's mind. He turned around, no longer angry at Aeris. It pained him to see the girl he loved crying. "Aeris..." He felt so guilty...so sickeningly pathetic..._

_"The words you speak are hurting me! You act as if I don't care about you anymore!"_

_Just then did Cloud realize his mistake. "Aeris, I'm..." He gasped when the woman turned around and ran off with tears. "Aeris, don't! Aeris!!" He chased her to the entrance of the cave but couldn't go on further to the camp where he saw Zack waiting for her. "Aeris, I'm sorry...!!!" He began to weep again as he fell sitting on the snow. He felt like he was the same boy...back in Nibelheim..._

Aeris gasped from her nightmare. She had remembered the argument she and Cloud had. A tear dropped to her pillow as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. She still loved him even if Zack was around...but will he still accept her? 

***** 

"Going somewhere, Zack?" Zack turned around and saw Sephiroth approaching him from the back, his arms folded. 

"What business have you with the sword?" Sephiroth stopped upon reaching Zack. 

"Oh, this?" Zack looked at the sword in different angles. "I fought off a monster--" Within a flash, the Masamune was pointing at his neck. "What the fu--" 

"You were heading to the cave where Strife is...that looks like a dangerously held sword, Zack." Sephiroth hissed glaring at Zack. His aquamarine eyes glowered. "Who are you?" 

Zack was silent, no smile, no frown can be seen on his face. He looked straight into Sephiroth's eyes. 

**_My son..._**

Sephiroth heard the hissing voice. 

The familiar hissing voice... 

A flash of the alienated form in the laboratory appeared to Sephiroth. He blinked and showed a surprised eyes. "Jenova..." 

"He has returned." Zack smiled evilly. 

"Traitor!" Sephiroth shouted. 

"Look who's talking, Great Sephiroth! Was it not you who betrayed your mother and switched sides with a puppet??" 

"My mother was a beautiful human named Lucrecia!" 

"You should have not said that while Lord Jenova is around." Zack said keeping that evil smile. 

Sephiroth heard noise behind him. Turning around, he let out a cry of pain as a tentacle surged pass right shoulder. Another one entwined itself around Sephiroth and lifted him up squeezing him tightly. Sephiroth could only grunt. He was too weak to teleport and the tentacle was stopping him from using his Masamune. 

"I'll finish you off after I deal with your clone." Zack waved good-bye continuing his way to Cloud's cave. 

_C, Cloud...!_

***** 

_"Just because Aeris chose to love Zack still doesn't give you the reason to waste yourself by sleeping in this cave." Cloud heard Sephiroth say while he was sitting on the ground. "Please..." He whispered. "I need to be alone."_

_"Hmph." Sephiroth turned around. "Suit yourself." He began to walk away. "I'll wait for you in the camp...watch your back."_

Cloud didn't pay attention to what Sephiroth had told him. He was too depressed to even move. 

_C, Cloud...!_

"Sephiroth?" Cloud looked up and around, his back turned to the entrance. 

_Watch your back._

"What?!" Quickly Cloud stood up. 

A whooshing sound. 

Immediately, Cloud turned around only to receive a blade that tore pass his skin on his abdomen. His gasp was croaked as he slowly knelt down and held his wound even if the sword was still there. His huge blue eyes stared into space. Grasping a little of reality, he bent his neck slowly and looked at the bloody sword. He traced it to its wielder only to be surprised of the identity. "Z, Zack...!" 

"I'm surprised you actually heard me." Zack had a frown on. "It's time you die, Strife." 

"W, what...gah!" Cloud fell down to the snow face first when the sword was pulled back. His right hand grabbed the wall staining it with blood. He searched and gained support on standing up. 

"Without you in the way, Lord Jenova will have no trouble on getting the Cetra." 

_Cetra!_ Cloud turned to Zack incredulously. "You..." 

"Yes, yes..." Zack rested his sword on his shoulder as he approached Cloud. "It was Jenova who revived me. I can't believe you were actually fooled by that silly story I told you." 

Cloud gritted his teeth and glared at Zack, his right hand reaching out for his Ultima Weapon. "There's no way you're gonna get Aeris with a fight! Kill me first before you take her!" He pulled it off and positioned in his fighting stance. 

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do." 

***** 

"Cloud...Cloud..." Aeris' head turned left and right. She perspired in her sleep as she continued to call out the name. "Cloud...!" 

"Yo, Aeris!" The huge man nudged the woman strongly waking her up with her shriek. 

Aeris' eyes were bloodshot, her breathing fast. She turned to the huge man beside her. "Barret?" 

"Yeah, " Barret answered, his skin darker because of the night. "I had to catch up with you in any way possible when you left me in Cosmo Canyon!" 

Aeris turned away from Barret looking at her skirt. She faced him again. "Where's Cloud?" 

"Spiky-ass ain't here." 

"No!" Aeris threw off her quilt and rushed outside. 

"Whut the-- Aeris, wait up!!" 

***** 

Tifa looked around the vast whiteness worryingly. _Okay! First there was Cloud, then there was Zack, now there was Sephiroth...who never cared to enter the tents anyway._ She groaned. "Where the hell is everyone going?!" She had set Yuffie and Red XIII off to look for the three people. "I just hope Yuffie and Red doesn't join them." 

"Tifa!" 

"Aeris?" Tifa turned around and caught the frantic woman in her arms. "Whoah, whoah! Calm down, what is it?" 

Aeris panted. "Cloud! Where is he??" 

"I have no idea." Tifa shook her head. "Whoah, stop!" She held the girl from running away. "Aeris, what's gotten into you??" 

"Tifa, we have to see Cloud!" 

"But we don't know where he is!" Tifa pointed out. She saw Barret arriving from behind Aeris. 

"Damn it! No sign of 'im?" Barret panted. "Sh*t!" He cursed when Tifa shook her head. 

"I dreamt of him." 

Both Tifa and Barret turned to Aeris. 

"He was calling out my name and was telling me to stay back." 

"Damn it," Tifa turned to Barret. "Barret, I'm worried." 

"I'm more worried now that the Ancient spoke o'her dreams!" 

"Hey!!!" 

Tifa turned around. "Yuffie! Red! You're back!" She rushed towards them. "But...where's Cloud?" 

"We didn't find Cloud." Red XIII answered, not the least bit tired. 

"We...we saw..." Yuffie panted. "We saw Sephiroth...and he's not in the best condition, that's for sure." 

"What?!" Tifa exclaimed. "Where?!" 

"I'll take you there." Red XIII turned around and rushed off followed by the rest to Yuffie's bad luck. 

***** 

Gasps and curse words were heard upon the pathetic sight of Sephiroth. 

Tifa had covered her mouth with her hands. "What happened to him?!" She turned to Yuffie. 

Yuffie shrugged. "We have no idea...he was actually more disgusting when we saw him. I had already slashed the tentacle that stabbed his shoulder." 

"We tried all we could but we need more help." Red XIII spoke. He heard a gun click and turned to Barret. 

Barret's gun arm was pointed at Sephiroth. 

"Barret, stick that thing somewhere safer." Tifa told him. 

"I'm gonna shoot the frozen tentacles." 

"You might hit him!" 

"He ain't gonna die with my bullets! He's too strong to die!" 

"But he's completely defenseless now! Don't you get it??" Finally, Tifa met Barret's eyes. 

But Barret only returned to his original idea. "Well wish him luck." He heard Tifa call him to stop but he had already start shooting on the tentacles. Chips of ice fell down to the snow until the rest of the tentacle that stabbed Sephiroth had already fallen off. 

"Barret, hold it!" Tifa held his arm. "Lemme climb, I might get him out." She rushed towards Sephiroth and stepped on the tentacle with her right foot. She grabbed on the higher tentacle and moved her left foot off the ground. Chips of ice fell again. "Tifa, be careful!" Tifa heard Yuffie call out. _Well...that's new..._ She grunted as she continued to climb up until she had reached Sephiroth. He was near to being frozen as well. "Sephiroth...Sephiroth, wake up! Sephiroth!" Tifa slightly slapped his cheeks until there was very slight movement. "Thank God you're alive. It's Tifa." 

Sephiroth groaned. 

"I'll try and break these tentacles off for you." Tifa held on a higher tentacle with her left hand. Her right hand grabbed the tentacle around Sephiroth's chest and tried to pull it off. Cracks were forming at the sides. With a stronger pull, she was able to throw the tentacle down. 

"Look out!" Red XIII leapt backwards watching the tentacle crash. He looked up at Tifa. 

Tifa continued breaking off the tentacles with her hands and kicks until the body began to fall down. "Whoah!" She pushed Sephiroth's chest with her right hand and looked down. "Barret!" 

"What?!" Barret rushed near the tentacles. 

"Catch!" Tifa let go of Sephiroth and pushed him down, off his prison. 

Barret stretched his hands and caught Sephiroth smoothly. 

Tifa heard Sephiroth groan as she climbed her way down. She joined the crowd who settled Sephiroth on the ice. 

Red XIII walked near Sephiroth and warmed him with his fiery tail. 

Sephiroth felt more comfortable now that his party had found him. "Strife...Strife..." 

"What about him?" Tifa asked kneeling beside him. 

"He is...in trouble..." 

Tifa heard someone set off and saw Aeris was gone. "Aeris!" She stood up. "Aeris!!" 

***** 

Cloud bent and stepped to the right missing two of Zack's slashes. He slashed upwards from the right. His sword clashed with Zack's. 

Zack pushed Cloud with his sword and returned to his fighting stance. "I'm surprised at how you've grown strong from a petty child." 

"People change." Cloud held his sword ready. "You should know that." 

"Cloud!" 

Cloud turned around to see Aeris by the entrance of the cave. "Aeris!" 

Aeris pointed behind him. "Look out!" 

Cloud turned around and blocked Zack's slash. Unfortunately, he fell down to the snow. He moved his sword to hold Zack's sword from slashing him. But the man was pushing it downwards still. 

"The Cetra is here, Strife..." Zack spoke. "I should finish you off now." 

"Zack!" 

Zack turned to the entrance and received a powerful slash sending him away from Cloud. 

Sephiroth moved his sword near his eye, forgetting all the pain he had experienced. "Strife, get up." 

Zack grunted as he stood up through the wall. He gave Sephiroth an evil smile and disappeared within a flash. 

"Where--" Sephiroth looked around only to see the man behind Aeris, ready to stab her. "Gainsborough!" 

"Aeris, look out!" Cloud shouted and pushed Aeris to safety taking the wound instead of Aeris. 

While Zack was off guard, Sephiroth attacked with a deep slash on the chest. 

"Gah!" Zack took a step backward holding his wound. He casted his hand on Sephiroth blowing him away with wind. He heard an angry cry and turned around seeing Cloud running towards him. To his surprise, the man had successfully stabbed him on the abdomen. He couldn't believe what had happened for a moment. But soon, his fist flew to Cloud sending him flying to the opposite wall. 

Cloud crashed onto it and fell down, weak. 

"Now, I'll finish you off." Zack hissed and stood straight approaching Cloud. 

"Stop!" Aeris stood in front of Cloud hindering Zack from killing him. 

Only then did Tifa and the others reach the cave. "Aeris, get away!" Tifa was to run towards her when Barret held her from doing it. "Barret, let go!!" 

"I won't let you do it, Zack." Aeris said bravely even if she had no weapon. She watched Zack move his sword to her neck. "I don't think you can do that either." 

"Oh yes, I could..." Zack hissed. 

Aeris shook her head. "I know why. Because you're not fully under Jenova's spell. Your mind may have been following him. But deep inside you, you're still you. Zack never hurts his loved ones. You wouldn't want to kill your best friend or the woman you loved just because the one who revived you wanted you to do it." 

The message echoed in a surprised Zack's mind. 

"Zack never follows orders when he knows it's wrong. He can accept punishment, just as long as he knows he's doing the right thing."   


Zack's hand began to shaken, until the sword was away from Aeris. 

Cloud used the wall as support for standing up. He gasped when Zack gave an angry cry. 

Zack lifted the sword, blade facing down, and stabbed himself. 

"Zack!!!" Cloud pushed Aeris away and rushed towards him. 

Zack felt like he was falling, but before he could fall to the snow, he felt someone catch him and lay him down gently on the snow. "C, Cloud..." He choked. 

"Zack...Zack, what were you doing?" Cloud gave him a confused look. 

Zack smiled weakly. The boy he had used to know returned...how he missed it so much. "Hurry." 

"What?" 

"Take the sword...and stab me deeper." 

"What?! No! We can heal you! Jenova's spell is off--" 

"That's what you think." Zack gave a sad look. "Jenova had taken full possession of me...I'm under his spell. I can only attain my soul in death..." 

"But Zack..." 

"You'd do anything for your best friend, right?" 

Cloud looked at him confusingly for awhile...then knew he had to do it. 

Aeris watched Cloud's hands moved to hold the hilt. "Cloud..." 

Cloud felt his wrist grabbed. He looked at Zack. 

"I'm glad...I have someone like you...to correct my mistakes...and take care of my Aeris..." Zack wore another weak smile. "I guess this time we get to say good-bye to each other." 

"...Farewell...Zack." Cloud held the hilt tighter and pushed it downwards hearing Zack's pain. 

The hand that held Cloud's wrist tightened...then softened...then fell... 

Cloud removed his hand from the hilt and faced Zack. "Good-bye..." His hand moved Zack's open eyes and closed it. "Rest in peace." As if on queue, Zack's body disappeared into green sparkles. 

***** 

Kenshin was listening to Cid's endless bickering of his worrying on Cloud. _What the--_ He turned to the door, sakabatou ready. 

"Kenshin?" Vincent asked. "Are you all right?" 

"I sense an evil ki..." 

The door knob twisted. 

Kenshin watched the door swing open and was relieved to see Sephiroth. "Okaeri..." 

***** 

"So, the Kaoru that left with you is a clone." Cloud saw Kenshin nod. "...that bastard Hojo..." 

"So, leader," Cid spoke up. "What do we do now?" 

"We go to Midgar, I know it's where Jenova took Yahiko to. She's been meddling with Hojo. I never knew even he was revived." 

"But at our condition now--" 

"I know. But let me tell you, Highwind: we were at a worse condition when we left to fight Sephiroth." 

"But this is Jenova!" 

"It makes no difference!" Cloud insisted. 

The door flew open welcoming a very strong blizzard. 

"What the hell?!" Sano grabbed on whatever to hold himself from being blown away. 

"Jenova!!!" Sephiroth shouted. 

The same form Kenshin had scene earlier appeared behind Kaoru and wrapped her around with his tentacles. 

Kaoru shrieked and felt pain as the tentacles slithered tighter. 

"Kaoru-dono!!!" Kenshin wielded his sakabatou. "Let her go!!" 

**_This time, I'm serious, Himura...._** The voice hissed. **_You will come with me or your woman dies..._**

"Never!!!" 

Kaoru coughed off blood when the tentacles squeezed tighter. 

**_Come...or she dies..._**

Kenshin watched Kaoru gasp for breath when a tentacle entwined around her neck. She bled even more as he waited. 

**_I see you want her dead..._**

"No!" Kenshin shouted. "...I'll come with you...if you release her first." 

**_She will stay with me unless you have come._**

"Then I'll do it." 

"What?!" Sano exclaimed. "Kenshin, no!" 

"I know what I'm doing, Sano." Kenshin sheathed his sakabatou, then approached Jenova fearlessly. 

Sano watched with wide eyes. Tentacles slithered around Kenshin and Jenova had disappeared with him after dropping Kaoru to the ground. "NO!!!" 

"There will be three groups! Sano, Cait Sith, Aeris and Cid will save Kenshin. Tifa, Yuffie, Barret and Red XIII will take Yahiko. Vincent, Sephiroth and I will take on Jenova. Move out!" Cloud watched the others leave the room and head outside. 

"Wait!" Vincent protested. "Can we do this?" 

Cloud turned to Vincent. "There ain't no way we're gonna get offa this train we're on." 

- End of Part 18 - 

Terms: 

1.) okaeri - welcome back. 

Liv: Longest!!! XD 

Cloud: I guess you made up for that short thing you did. 

Liv: Congratulate me? 

Onna: Again? 

Cloud: No. 

Liv: *pout* 


	19. To Protect the One He Loves

Onna: As usual... NOT OURS!!! *kicks Sano yet again* 

Kenshin: Oro... 

Kaoru: She is violent... 

Liv: I bet I'm MORE violent! 

Cloud: Not now, Liv... 

********** 

"Matte!" Kaoru cried, coughing. "Onegai! Let me come with you!" 

"But Kaoru...!" Tifa protested. 

"Yahiko's my student!" she continued as Aeris approached her to heal her injuries. "It's only right that I, his teacher, help in rescuing him!" 

"Kaoru..." Cloud began. 

"And I want to help get Kenshin back! Kuraudo-san! Onegai! Let me help!" 

Aeris stood as she finished her healing. "Cloud... I don't think we can do anything to dissuade her." 

"Jou-chan's stubborn," Sano agreed. "Let her help out or she'll hound us to death about it." 

Cloud nodded wearily. "Kaoru, you'll be in the team that goes to save Kenshin. Aeris, you'll move to my team with Sephiroth. I want at least one fighter using fists in every team. Everyone, move out!" 

Each member ran to their respective teams and sped off to complete their missions.   
  


"Ahh yesss... this boy is a wonderful specimen indeed," Hojo laughed over Yahiko's unconscious form. 

**_A fine boy... yet weak of will... He will be my path to return to rule Planet..._**

"What of the scarred man?" 

**_His will is strong. It seems he refuses to bend to me. I have imprisoned him to keep him out of trouble with Reno guarding him._**

"Brilliant, Jenova. What of Zack?" 

**_He has failed me. Cloud Strife still lives and the Cetra girl is still with them._**   
  


_Kaoru..._ Kenshin mused, tightening his grip on his sakabatou. _I'll get that Hojo when I see him... I'll get him for hurting you..._

Reno smirked at him. "Well, Orient. Your speed can't help you now. You have been reduced to this and Jenova will return through the brat." 

"You hurt one hair on Yahiko..." Kenshin growled. 

"Oooh...! I'm so scared!" he laughed, opening the door to his cell before grabbing him by his red locks. "And after we have our way with the boy, I'll have the girl for myself. She's a pretty little thing... will fetch me a high price in the market..." 

Kenshin's eyes glowed amber. He growled, unsheathing his sword. So fast were his movements that the tip of the sakabatou was on his neck drawing blood before he even blinked. 

"I'm here because Jenova was going to kill Kaoru if I didn't," he said through clenched teeth. "I'll honor that agreement, but if you hurt Kaoru in any way, I will be the last thing you see before you close your eyes forever."   
  


**_It is time... They are here..._**

"You're going out, Jenova?" 

**_Yesss... the clone, my son and the Cetra girl are here... and knowing the rest of them, they'll probably either come after the boy or the scarred swordsman..._**

"You sound confident." 

**_They've grown stronger, but nothing will beat me..._**

********** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Matte- Wait 

Onna: BUWA!!! I know it's short!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I hate writers' block! Now time for me to work on my fic **Natsu no E**... 

Kenshin: Oroooo.... 

Kaoru: *Eeep!* 

Liv: BY THEN I'D BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON MY NEW CXA FIC!!!! XD 

Cloud: Awright! You go! 

Cloud and Liv: *h5* 


	20. Battle to Save Planet

Disclaimer: *while organizing some papers* They're not ours! 

Cloud: What's that? 

Liv: Then this goes before this...awright! Let's go!

Onna: Here goes nothing... 

***** 

Destiny's call - 20   
By: Liv (LGStrife) 

"Jenova!!!" Cloud cried angrily as everyone raced to the entrance of Shinra Bldg. "Whut the-- gah!!!" 

"What's...this?!" Sephiroth felt the air go dank. "Cetra! What is this?!" 

"Jenova...!" Aeris gasped. "He has come...!" 

An evil laugh filled the atmosphere. Soon, Elizabeth appeared. She had no covering on and her skin was a mixture of full blue and red. Tentacles danced behind her. 

**_DIE!!!_**

"Not without a fight!" Vincent was to wield his gun when he and his party was suddenly sucked into a new dimension. 

"Oof!" Cloud fell to his knees. He looked up, Jenova was still there waiting for a fight. 

**_Welcome to Lifestream..._**

***** 

"Cloud!!!" Tifa called but Barret held her back. 

"Jenova's got them now! There's no way they can turn back!" Barret pushed her so Tifa could face him. "Spiky ass wants us to get our business done, Tifa! Get it?!" 

Tifa was in a trance for a short while. But soon she nodded. "Right!" She called out to everyone. "Let's go!!" She pushed Barret aside and rushed into the building. 

Inside, Reno was waiting in front of a huge capsule containing Kenshin. "Welcome to your last place in life!" 

"Kenshin!!!" Kaoru called. She could hear a faint Kaoru-dono. 

Kenshin was hitting on the thickest glass he felt with his palm. "Kaoru-dono!!! You have to save Yahiko before Jenova gets to him!!! Do you hear me?! Kaoru-dono!!!" 

"Kenshin..." Kaoru covered the sides of her mouth with her hands. "I hear you, Kenshin!!!" Though it was faint... 

_She'll save us all..._ Kenshin realized to his relief. He covered the sides of his mouth as well about to scream 'Aishiteru, Kaoru-dono' when the capsule lowered into a hatch. "Whoah!" 

"Kenshin!!" 

"Enough talk!" Reno interrupted. "If you wanna get him...come and follow me!" With a flexible back flip, he fell into the same hatch Kenshin got into. 

"&%^&!!!" Cid rushed towards the hatch and leapt. 

"Jou-chan, let's go!" Sano grabbed her hand. 

Kaoru gave Sano a determined look and nodded. "Hai!" Together with Sano, she rushed to the opening and jumped down. 

"Oh boy..." Cait Sith panicked. "I'm not sure if I can fit in there..." 

"Damn it! Are you backing out in the last minute?!" Yuffie exclaimed. 

The hatch door moved as if to close. 

"AHHH!" Cait Sith hopped over to the opening and leapt. He was right...his huge body didn't fit. "Help! Somebody help!" 

Tifa rushed top Cait Sith and leapt raising her foot. She slammed it on the moogle body and landed next to the hatch seeing it fall. That was all she saw before the hatch closed. "Good luck..." 

"Tifa!" Barret called. 

Tifa turned around and rushed to the stairway with the others. "64th floor! Let's go!" 

***** 

Hojo was still looking at the sleeping specimen floating in liquid. He heard loud footsteps stomping towards him. "I'll be right back, boy. I just have some business to settle."  
  
  
The door was kicked open and off its hinges. Tifa rushed into the lab and formed a row with her allies around him. "Give it up, Hojo! It's time to die, again!" 

"I sense much hostility." Hojo turned around calmly. "You must be wanting revenge." 

"Sh*t! Quitcha lame talk and let's get it on!" Barret readied his gun arm. 

"But of course...urk...!" Hojo felt the sickening chemical reaction in him again. 

Yuffie watched with wide eyes as Hojo's lab coat tore. She followed his floating body in stun. "Oh...sh*t...!"  
  
  
"Hojo Lifeform!" Red XIII shouted in surprise. 

***** 

Cloud re-appeared with his allies after Aeris had mimed his Knights of the Round. He saw Jenova step forward and cover his bleeding wound above his breast with his clawed hand. 

Jenova gritted his teeth and glared at Aeris. **_SUFFER!!!_** He casted his hand on everyone releasing the green orb of Ultima. He listened to the inhuman cries he had caused everyone to let out. **_Feel my wrath!_**

Though much hurt, Aeris managed to maneuver her rod as she casted a Full Cure on everyone. She saw the green ring around Vincent by the corner of her eye. 

Vincent gracefully lifted his hand, palm facing up and moved it down quickly, palm facing down this time. 

An elongated chunk of ice appeared around Jenova's party. It shattered causing the shards to scratch his skin. 

Before Jenova could attack with his tentacles, Sephiroth moved his hand to his face slowly and casted it on Jenova. A cold blue mist surrounded Jenova. Ice re-appeared and created spikes on different sides. It shattered once more causing Jenova to bent slightly backwards in pain. 

**_Bastard...!_ **Jenova moved his hand halfway to casting his own spell when Ultima hit him 6 times. **_GAHHH!!!_**

Cloud pulled off his sword from behind him and positioned in his fighting stance. 

Jenova coughed off blood and glared at his opponents while blood dripped from his mouth.He began to feel pain as his body twisted as if trying to ease the muscle pain. A body tore pass his stomach and grew into a huge mountain. 

"My God...!" Vincent's jaw was left open. The new monster that appeared before them had no feet. A 'mountain' carried the upper body of a man. The skin color was the same. 

**_Bow down to Jenova Finale...!!_**

***** 

"Hyaaa!!!" Sano charged Reno and swerved a fist over to his chin. 

"Oof!" Reno took a step and bent backwards due to the impact of the punch. He skillfully turned around and back flipped missing more of Sano's attacks. He landed in front of Kenshin and stepped aside allowing Sano to punch the hard glass. 

"Itai!" Sano knelt and held his knuckles in pain. Not even the glass was damaged. 

"Hyaaa!!!" 

"Huh?" Reno turned around and received a hit on the nose from the wooden sword. He stepped backwards holding his bleeding nose. "Sh*t!" Hearing another whoosh, he immediately deflected the bokken with his Night Rod setting Kaoru aside. He then felt a slight stab on his abdomen. "Gah!" He bent backwards missing a possibly deeper slash. He pushed it away with his Night Rod and sent a kick to Cid's chest. 

"Oof!" Cid flew off his feet and landed on the floor sliding towards Cait Sith's hopping feet. "What the hell!" 

"Here goes nothing!" Cait Sith held his megaphone tightly and blew it bending towards Reno. With the help of his silver weapon, a black ball flew over to Reno and grew and disappeared. 

"Demi! Gah!" Reno held his chest trying to breathe again. When the spell was casted on him, he felt numb and hot. "I'll show you my new and enhanced Reno Turk Light!!" He casted his Night Rod to everyone and sent three huge energy balls flying over to them. 

***** 

Barret crossed his arms together and lowered his feet. He then moved his gun arm to his back and upwards as if he threw a ball. Earth-breaking electricity surrounded the floating alien. 

Tifa spread her arms to the side and joined them near her chest before she pushed forward, bending low and moving her right foot behind. 

Hojo was encased in elongated ice. His ice shattered and he was then encased in fire. The fire all flew in front of him revealing Kjata - a bull. Kjata stomped on the ground sending waves to the earth before he disappeared. Hojo felt a sharp pain strike all over his body. 

Red XIII leapt forward and howled as orbs flew around him. He disappeared with everyone else but Hojo. 

The ground where the AVALANCHE once were heated up and broke as a demon from hell flew to the sky. Angrily, he stared at Hojo with fire coming out of his fanged mouth as he breathed. He was slowly surrounded with fire before he zoomed downwards to Hojo burning almost anything in and near his way with unbelievably hot fire. 

Red XIII reappeared with his allies and felt uncomfortable with the sudden hot atmosphere that Ifrit had caused. 

"Time to cool things down!" Yuffie moved her hands like a snake, each hand in opposite direction. She moved her hand holding her shuriken to her back and free hand forward in a fist while her right leg was lifted. She disappeared again with her allies making way for the water that seemed to form a huge serpentine. 

From the water, the blue Leviathan was set free. With a shrill cry, a massive flood gushed over to Hojo and disappeared with the summoned monster. 

Hojo silently hissed from all the constant pain he had been feeling. He watched the AVALANCHE reappear before he moved his tail and casted Bio to everyone. 

***** 

"There's still time!" Aeris settled her rod on her bent knees and moved her clasped fists to her chest. She raised them up and casted them to Jenova repeating the 6 Ultima spells Cloud had casted. 

Different parts of Jenova's body opened and released blood. With a snarl, he casted his hand on everyone and disappeared. 

"Where the hell?!" Cloud exclaimed. He gasped when everything shattered. "Oh God, no...!" 

"Supernova..." Was all Sephiroth could say. So quickly did the sun collide with Planet and exploded. He cried in pain and dropped to his knees like the rest. 

Jenova reappeared and eyed them evilly. **_What?!_**

Aeris knelt as if in prayer and opened her arms to the skies. Golden light shown on her allies recovering them from their wound and giving them invincibility. 

Cloud moved his sword above him before he held it in front of him. A red typhoon was around him. With inhuman speed, she rushed towards Jenova and started a series of loud strong slashes. It was as if he was forming crosses before he leapt high with his blade shining and slammed it down to Jenova finishing the Omnislash. Returning to his row, it was only then that he noticed Vincent had turned into a huge gargoyle--Chaos. 

Chaos flew with his wings and released sabers that came from the edges of his wings. 

Sephiroth rushed forward and slashed. Right after he had done so, he saw Jenova's hand move. Quickly he returned to his row. But upon doing so, he felt his protection go. 

"What??" Aeris gasped. "The Great Gospel's invincibility can't be outdone!" She heard a whoosh in front of her. "Oof!" 

***** 

"Damn it! Our attacks don't seem to work!" Sano snarled. It felt like only Cid and Cait Sith could hurt Reno. 

"Here!" 

"Huh?" Sano caught a red fang and looked at it. It felt hot on his palm. "What's this?!" He turned to Cid. 

"Fire Fang! Good for live born &%&s like Reno!" 

Sano nodded and turned to Reno was seen attempting attacks on Kaoru. "Oi, Baka! Stop hitting on Jou-chan!" He lifted his hand and tossed the item over to Reno. 

"Ah!" Reno felt fire surround him. 

Kaoru took the opportunity of backing away. She was a bit confused as to how Sano was able to do that. "What did he do?" She turned to Cait Sith. 

"It's a fire item! Here." Cait Sith took a small pair of gongs from the moogle's body and handed it to Kaoru. "It should work." 

Kaoru studied the little thing. "Your planet has a lot of wonders, I guess I'll give it a try." She lifted her hand and tossed the gong over to Reno. 

When the gong had hit the floor, a loud gong-noise was heard causing everyone to cover their ears. The noise caused the floor to break and cause a quake in Reno's spot. 

"Sh*t! You bastards really are getting to my nerves!" Reno snarled. He noticed everyone disappear into thin air. "Ah hell no...!" 

The sky brightened as a blue woman descended from her heaven. Shiva lifted her hand up and casted it on Reno as ice shards flew over to him. The ground below him froze and shattered and disappeared with Shiva. 

***** 

"Here!" Barret tossed remedies over to his party and drank his own. 

Tifa threw the empty bottle to the floor and rushed over to Hojo. "Hya!" She leapt in order to reach him and punched and kicked strongly. She landed on the ground and returned to Barret's side missing Hojo's counter attack. 

Red XIII howled once more and disappeared after the orbs flew around him. 

The place darkened and a portal from a strange dimension opened. A dark colored dragon with its wings closed left the portal and opened its wings finally free to punish his prey. Bahamut's muzzle opened as energy gathered into a ball. He was slightly pushed backwards as he released the ball that came to Hojo's ground and exploded. 

The atmosphere cleared when Yuffie reappeared with everyone ready for a fire spell. She moved her hands in a snaky matter before she stood to her final pose causing a hot explosion on Hojo. 

Hojo snarled and hovered over to Yuffie and slapped her with his tail. After which, he flew over to Barret and tackled him with his tail. 

***** 

"Aeris!" Cloud rushed over to her and assisted her to sit up after Jenova's tentacle threw her off. "You okay??" 

"Yeah..." Aeris hissed from the sharp pain on her chest. "That hurt." 

Cloud stood with Aeris and faced Jenova. "All right, let's get this over with." Orbs flew around him as he moved his arms. With his fists in front of him, he bent his knees and disappeared with his party. 

Jenova panicked when he entered the same dimension where knights flew to attack him. It seemed to be so long and continuous, he hadn't noticed the fact that Aeris had mimed the attack once more. He felt pain again when he felt his ground lift him. Intoxicating smoke from what looked like a demon's face swirled around him and hurt him. 

Chaos lowered his body after the Satan Slam had been casted. 

Sephiroth moved his hand to his face then forward causing huge mountains to strike pass Jenova and shatter. **_Gahhh!!!_**

"Earth! That's it!" Cloud took a red materia from his pocket and tossed it over to Sephiroth. "Summon him!" 

Sephiroth caught the materia and inserted it in an empty slot. Orbs flew around him as he moved his hand to his face and forward. He disappeared with everyone. 

A prehistoric fanged man grew from the ground. Titan's earthern cover shattered revealing to him his victim. With great strength, he grabbed on the ground and tossed it over to Jenova causing him to fall upside down with the earth. 

Sephiroth reappeared and returned back to his fighting stance. 

Jenova casted his bleeding hand to everyone welcoming them inside the vast darkness of Pandora's Box. 

***** 

"&%&!" Cid was stunned as electricity surged into his body. He dropped to the ground with gritted teeth trying to grasp back reality. 

"Shimata! Where the hell did you get this?!" Sano was surprised when the little tentacle enlarged after he had squeezed it. 

"Hurry! Throw it over to Reno!" Cait Sith hopped rather excitedly. 

Sano grunted and with great strength tossed it over to Reno. 

"SH*T!!!" The tentacle exploded on Reno releasing green acid that burned into his skin. He felt a poisonous pain in his body and felt feverish. 

"Hyaaa!!!" Kaoru charged Reno again and hit him on the abdomen, then on the head. She stepped aside allowing Cait Sith to throw the black Demi ball on Reno again. 

Reno was surprised to feel a deep slash on his back and fell to the floor. "Sh*t..." 

"That's how &%^&ing painful it is, ya jerk!" Cid spat and readied his spear for another attack. 

Reno pushed himself up and leaned against Kenshin's capsule staining it with blood. He casted his Night Rod on Kaoru and released the Neo Turk Light. 

Kaoru stepped aside and pushed weapon off his hand with her bokken before he struck his chest. 

Sano gave Reno an uppercut sending him flying away from Kenshin. 

Reno landed on the floor unconscious and badly wounded. 

"Kenshin!!!" Kaoru dropped her bokken and rushed over to Kenshin's capsule. "Oh no..." She turned to Cid. "How do you get him out??" 

"I have no idea but the impatient way." Cid approached the controls below Kenshin and stabbed it deeply with his Venus Gospel. It fizzled and broke. 

Kenshin was relieved to see the glass slide down. "Kaoru-dono!" He leapt out of his capsule and took Kaoru in his arms. "Arigatou de gozaru yo..." 

"Kenshin!!!" Sano rushed over to him and hugged him tightly away from Kaoru. 

"Oro?!" 

"Oi!!" Kaoru glared at Sano and fumed. 

Cid shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk...can't share the man, huh?" He heard a sigh from Cait Sith and turned to him. "What??" 

"They really are meant for each other..." Cait Sith stared lovingly at Kenshin and Kaoru. 

"^&*^%!" 

***** 

Barret landed on the floor after he had finished the series of high powered beams that he shot from his weapon. Multicolored sparkles appeared around him and relieved him from his pain. He didn't care to thank whoever had done it. He watched red XIII rush forward to Hojo and bite him while in the middle of a somersault. A shuriken flew over to Hojo slashing his chest. 

Yuffie caught her shuriken and backed off just in case Hojo counterattacks. 

On the contrary, multicolored sparkles surrounded Hojo and healed him. 

"Sh*t!" Barret cursed. 

"He hasn't much to live! Let's finish him off!!!" Tifa called out. 

"Right!" Barret leapt forward and crossed his arms, lowered his body and moved his gun arm backwards and up. Strong electricity stunned Hojo. 

Hojo immediately recovered from the bolt and casted a Bio spell on Red XIII. 

"Urk!" Red XIII squeezed his body and eased the poison from inside. "Let's finish this!" He howled as everything darkened in a room where only he and Hojo existed. Two meteors appeared and hit Hojo. 

Hojo gave a cry of pain as his chest released a ray of light. He was trembling in pain. With a flash of light, he stiffened and shattered into ashes. 

***** 

Sephiroth felt his energy being restored gradually when Aeris had casted a Regen spell. He moved his hand to his face and forward casting Ultima on Jenova. Right after it, Cloud had rushed forward and repeated the series of slashes he had done before. Everything seemed so fast, Sephiroth had not realized Aeris had already summoned Alexander. 

A huge robot of some sort rose beside Jenova. Its rockets aimed for the sky and flew off with a stream of white light. They all fell on Jenova and exploded into a bright light before he disappeared. 

Upon returning to visibility, Chaos watched the skull reappear under Jenova and release the gas again before it shattered. 

Sephiroth rushed forward and slashed before he returned to the row knowing a spell is coming up. However, he had not expected it to be an Ultima Spell. 

Cloud ignored the pain of Jenova's magic and rushed forward slashing twice. The golden light shone on him again recovering him and giving him the invincibility. He disappeared yet again when Titan was summoned. 

Reappearing, Chaos flew higher and stabbed Jenova with his Chaos Sabers. 

Jenova felt as if he couldn't move any longer. He casted a despell on Cloud and drained almost all the energy he has left.

"Gah!" Cloud knelt easing the sudden weakening he felt. He felt like he couldn't move anymore. _No...I have...to finish him..._

"This ends now!" Cloud stood up and was surrounded with the same red typhoon. 

Jenova's eyes enlarged, before he knew it, the man was already slashing on him. 

Cloud leapt for the final strike and slashed down deeply. 

**_NOOO!!!_** A bright light exploded from Jenova's deepest wound and blew everyone backwards. 

- End of Part 20 - 

Liv: Not the longest...but sure is the HARDEST battle scene I had written! Gosh! It took me 2 CDS of CC OST to finish this! 

Cloud: One more page, it could have been as lengthy as part 18. Congratulations, Liv. You are yet to handle a harder battle scene in the future. 

Liv: Sure...thank goodness for these papers. *reveals the papers she was organizing before* 

Cloud: What the hell...? 

Liv: I had to set your HPs and do this thing like it's actually a GAME! 

Cloud: Whoah...that hard, huh? 

Onna: *sigh* 


	21. Epilogue

Disclaimer: NOT OURS!!! 

***** 

_Kenshin held Kaoru close to him, thanking the gods that he was reunited with his beloved. "Aishiteru, Kaoru..."_

_"Aishiteru, Kenshin..."_

_"Oi, lovebirds!" Sano called. "We'd better get going if we want to catch up to the others!"_

_Cid hooted with laughter at Kenshin and Kaoru's red faces. "Come on you two! Let's get moving!"_

_Kenshin smiled tenderly at Kaoru. "Better get going..."_

_"Hai," she smiled back before pressing a kiss on his lips._

_He hopped on the Chocobo, stretching his hand out to help her mount the creature. She smiled, ruffling the Chocobo's feathers before climbing on, the large bird releasing a loud "wark!" of pleasure._

_"Maa..." Kaoru giggled when it rubbed its beak against her cheek affectionately. She took his hand and stepped on his foot to help her up. "Gomen. Did that hurt?"_

_"Iie de gozaru..." Kenshin said, grinning at her. The Chocobo raised its head, as if proud to bear its riders, and trotted off into the sunset, following the other Chocobos._   
  


"How will we get home?" Yahiko asked groggily. "I want to go back to Tokyo..." 

Kaoru sighed. "So do I. I miss everyone." 

"Even Megumi?" Yahiko grinned. 

She giggled. "Believe it or not, yes, even her." 

Aeris smiled. "I think you have a few questions, Kaoru." 

"Hai," Kaoru nodded. "Hojo said something about our party having one clone to his son. Who's Hojo's son? And who's the clone?" 

"Cloud is the clone." 

"Kuraudo-san?!" 

Aeris nodded. "Cloud was one of the failed clones to Sephiroth--Hojo's son. He injected Jenova cells into Sephiroth while his mother was pregnant with him. Lucrecia died soon after Sephiroth was born." 

"Sou ka..." Kaoru murmured. "It must have been hard..." 

"We'll try to get you home by going back to where your world joined with ours," Aeris continued. "All right?" 

"Hai."   
  


Kenshin felt the air in front of him, his skin striking the cool wall he felt when they first came. "I think I found it." 

"Well, this is it," Aeris said, hugging Kaoru. "You take care, all right?" 

"Hai," she nodded as she released the Cetra girl, going to hug Tifa and Yuffie as well. 

Kenshin bowed to Cloud. "I wish to thank you for all you've done for us." 

"It's nothing, Ken. Glad to be able to help." 

Kenshin grinned, thanking every single on of them, Yahiko and Sano not far behind. 

"I guess this is goodbye," Cait Sith murmured. 

"Aa," Yahiko said. "Sayonara, minna. Arigatou!" 

"Ja!" Sano waved. 

Goodbyes resounded everywhere as Kenshin wrapped his arm around Kaoru's shoulder. "I sincerely hope we will meet again soon." 

The four walked into the distance, a ripple appearing on the horizon. It enveloped them, and soon they disappeared. 

Cloud was endlessly waving at the four people who could have been one of his closest friends when a quick kiss touched his cheek. "Huh?" He turned to Aeris who was smiling. He smiled back. "Com'ere you...!" 

Aeris squealed when Cloud pulled her towards her before she ended up in a happy kiss. She ignored all the hootings from the AVALANCHE. They ended up clapping anyway. 

"I can't say it wasn't a pleasure working with you." Vincent told Sephiroth as they walked far towards a mountain. 

"Hmph, so you think this was all a game, Valentine." Sephiroth turned around to Vincent who stopped. 

"It's not necessarily one." 

"Whatever," Sephiroth shook his head and looked back at the sky behind him. 

"You're thinking of visiting the Northern Crater." 

"Yes..." Sephiroth returned to Vincent. "After that...I may just be wandering around...looking for answers to open questions." 

Vincent patted Sephiroth's shoulder. As if he was a father to a son. "And if you don't have any place to stay, Cloud will be happy to take you with us." 

"So, I'm your new ally." Sephiroth wore a small smile. "We'll see to that." He flew away from the ground but not very high for Vincent. "A war is coming. And I intend to fight it." 

Vincent nodded with a smile. "And I will be there...old friend." The wind blew as he watched Lucrecia's son fly higher and off to the crater. "There goes your son...Lucrecia..." When the wind died down, he turned around returning to his friends. 

Kenshin opened his eyes to find Kaoru asleep against him. He blinked before looking around. Sano and Yahiko were propped against the opposite wall, asleep. Kenshin looked around, seeing the familiar halls of the Kamiya dojo. 

He smiled and cuddled himself closer to Kaoru. 

They were home. 

***** 

Jap Terms: 

1. Sou ka- I see 

2. Sayonara/ Ja - Goodbye / See you soon 

Onna: AAAH! The end!!! 

Kenshin and Kaoru: *sigh in relief* 

Liv: AWRIGHT! We go! We go! *dances the butt-hit with Cloud* Just an advertisement, minna! Maybe you'd like to try **Realities Above**! :D 

Cloud: For all FF7 especially CxA fans: watch out for Liv's new series! 

Liv: AWRIGHT! *dances with Cloud* 


End file.
